Happy Birthday....

to all the Leap Year Babies, including my cousin Karen. Karen was invited to the Martha Stewart Show this week for a special on Leap Year Babies. The show airs today and I am looking forward to watching it and hopefully catching a glimpse of Karen. I'll have to DVR it and watch it tonight since today is a work day!

Happy Birthday Karen!


My Big Sis over on SCS (can't wait to find out who she is) sent me a Circle Card. Here it is:




It got me thinking that I usually make the same size/shape card over and over...the typical A2 card. I decided to make something a little different. I took out my Creative Memories Cutting System (which I love) and looked at the shapes I had. While cutting the shape, I broke my little red cutter which would have cut the size I wanted so I had to make it a little bigger. I realized it wouldn't fit my largest square envelope so I kept cutting it down and went to far. It changed the shape and now it will probably fit into my usual envelope.

Here is the shape I intended it to be:



Here is the card that it ended up being......I used the Friendship Blooms stamp set because I liked the sentiment. I also used Basic Grey DP.




Odd shape but still different than my usual.

Sometimes it takes a while....

to complete a card. I had the base of this card sitting on my stamping desk for several weeks. I liked the basic grey paper and added it to a base of pretty in pink...then I couldn't decide what to do. I left it on my desk for a few weeks and every now and then would look over my stamp sets and see if anything would work with it. Last night I picked up TIME FOR YOU from the SU Occasions Mini. I really like the park bench from this set and I also liked the saying "Always Time for You". This is what I came up with.



Book Club was delicious last night! You might ask how a book club could be delicious.....you would know if you were in the Chicklit's Book Club! Our hostesses usually put on a delicious spread to accompany our book discussion and last night was no exception. Pat's husband Paul pulled together a wonderful assortment and no one went home hungry. We enjoyed marvelous pulled pork egg rolls, chicken saltimbuca and many desserts! Oh, and the book, I really liked it. Reactions to the book were mixed but as usual our discussion was lively. Many in the group did not like all the info given at the end. I won't say why here so I don't spoil the book for anyone who wants to read it. The discussion was shorter than usual but interesting.

I had contacted the author prior to our discussion and he was very nice. He is sending us bookplates for our books. They didn't arrive in time for our discussion but I know everyone will be happy to get them when they arrive. If you would like to visit the authors web site click Here! There is a great tour of the town of Woodstock, VA by the author and his daughter. They show the town that inspired the author in the setting of the book. One of the things that interested me was the Tower that Malcolm often visited when he was working through things. We talked a lot about it last night. Seeing the tower, for me, helped me understand why this was a good place for Malcolm to want to go to work things out in his mind. In many ways, Woodstock, VA reminds me of our small town.

Cindy raffled off a Book Lovers Calendar and we had fun looking through the books recommended on our birthdays. Book club, as usual, is always a wonderful time. What a great group of ladies!

Is it Spring yet?

I am getting tired of cold and snow so I took out my Spring Solitude Stamp set. It was free from SU during their Sale-a-bration!

It's the second set I have used and I really like it! Here are cards (one with a sentiment and without to be added later) from this set. I used River Rock, Basic Black and Whisper White Cardstock. I used River Rock, Whisper White (craft) and Basic Black ink. I wanted to use white embossing powder on the flowers (instead of Whisper White Craft) but since I reorganized my craft stuff, I can't find it! I added some black and white polka dot ribbon that I must have received from a secret sister.






Book club is tonight and I really liked the book. It's called The Wednesday Letters. It was a quick and enjoyable read. The author is sending me bookplates for the Chicklits and I hope they arrive in time.


Note to Karie:

These two cards are actually #15 & 16 for the month of February. Karie on Ink-Stains had a challenge on her blog to create 14 cards or projects for the month of February. With this card I made the challenge. Karie, unfortunately is under the weather. I hope she feels better very quickly and is back on ink-stains! Karie - Get Well Soon!

Card with Photograph!

I love this photograph. I can't believe I took it. It is of a lighthouse off of Provincetown, MA. I took it from a whale watching boat. It came out perfect and when printed it looks like a water color painting. I decided to enter the photo into our local Woman's Club Arts & Crafts Contest (along with a necklace and a card). I printed out an 8x10 for the contest and then printed out a dozen small prints to fit on a card. When I posted it over ink-stains (the photo) many of the ladies complimented the photo so I am sending them each a card with the photo. This card I added shells (real shells). I didn't do that on the cards I sent out because the shells would make it difficult to mail in a normal envelope. I have had these shells for years and always wanted to use them so I added them to this card. I really just wanted you to see the photo.



Karie, this is #13 one more to go for the challenge!

Another card....

Here is a card I have been working on to enter into an Arts & Crafts contest for the Woman's Club. This won't be the entry afterall but I am going to try again tonight to make this card come out the way I want. I liked this one until I added the stickles to the layers of cake. I wanted it to be light and subtle but it came out thick and yucky. I have the right idea but I just have to get that glitter right. I think I will try real glitter instead of the stickles (and I love stickles). I also added pearl glue drops to the cake which came out a little too big. I need a lighter hand. The designer paper is from Basic Grey (and that was my last piece of this design). I will try another paper. I am also out of the Purely Pomergranate cardstick which I love to match with the Wild Wasabi. I am not placing an order for more until April 1st so I am going to have to come up with another color combination.




Off to another busy weekend. Tomorrow is Pat's birthday and we will go out to brunch or dinner (haven't decided yet).

The snow is clear from the driveway and walkways and it looks so pretty out there.

Have a nice weekend.

P.S. Karie, this is # 12 - - two more to go!

Your Turn!

Over a year ago I thought I had a great design for a tri-fold card. I cut the paper, scored it, added some designer paper and then I just didn't know what to do. I made 14 of the card bases and I had hoped to use it for a swap but I never came up with anything I was happy with. I threw several attempts away. Anyway, I found them last night and made a half hearted attempt again to come up with something and have now given up. That's where some of my friends over at Ink-Stains come in. Today I put a challenge out there to try to come up with something with this base card. I have some takers. At this time I have:

Cheryl
Cindy
Sharon
Lori
Fiona
Marilyn

We are full! Thanks for joining the challenge. This is a global challenge with participants from the U.S., Canada and Australia.

Here is the front of the card (closed):



One side open:



Open all the way:




And I will see what they come up with. They will keep the cards but will send me a photo which I will post here. I am anxious to see what they come up with. I will award some kind of prize.

Here is my latest try at the card:



Thanks for taking on the challenge!

Karie, I am counting the last card here as #11 since I just stamped it yesterday. Three more to go.

Second Try...

Here is my new and improved version of yesterdays card. I decided to use the MERCI sale-a-bration set from SU! I like this card better. I also added dew drops (the center of the butterflly). I ended up using this version of the card for my monthly swap.

Here is the front of the card....




Here is the card opened......




Nothing new IRL. I haven't started our February book yet and book club is next week. I am planning to start it tonight. The book is the Wednesday Letters. I contacted the author and he has said he will send our group autographed book plates. I hope they arrive on time.

Karie, this is card # 10 for your February challenge (4 cards / projects to go!)

More new stamps...

Here is a card I made using SU's SO MANY SCALLOPS and SU Designer Paper called Afternoon Tea. I cased a fold that I received as a birthday card. In this card I used, for the first time, the Build A Brad from SU where I included the Afternoon Tea Designer Paper. The SO MANY SCALLOPS stamp set was free from SU (with purchase) from their Sale-a-bration catalog.

Here is the card closed...




Here is the card opened....




I actually am not crazy about the card but am re-working it and will post my new version tomorrow.

Karie: This is card number 9 for your February challenge

New Camera - New Stamps!

I lost my camera at the Sweetheart Dance a few weekends ago. I really liked that small camera, it went everywhere with us. Having said that I was more disappointed in losing the great photo's I took that night than losing the actual camera. I knew I could replace the camera but I couldn't replace those photos of a fun night.

Anyway, I did buy a new camera...well, I didn't buy it actually, I used reward points! I now own a Canon Powershot A65. I am working with it but I think it will be a great camera with 12 MP and 6x optical zoom. It's a little bigger but I think the photo's will be great! Here is a photo of my new camera...



I also returned this weekend to a cute little stamp store I recently discovered. It's a 30 minute drive but definitely worth it. At this new store I discovered these cute little Memory Box Penguins. Here are a few cards using the Penguins At Play Clear Acrylic Stamp Set.

Here is a card to congratulate a Graduate.



Here is a penguin birthday card.



Karie: Here is project #7 & 8

This is great....

Have you ever been to Grand Central Station? It's a beautiful train station in NYC. Anyway, here is a video of a prank that took place at Grand Central Station. It is so cool, you have to watch it. Click here to see the best prank ever

You will love it....enjoy!

I better get moving....

I entered a challenge to complete 14 projects in February and I think I have only posted 3. Here is another sour cream container and some other odds and ends I made for a coordinator swap this month on SCS.






Karie, this is project 4, 5 & 6 (eight more to go!)

Great Birthday!

After a rough week, I ended up having a great birthday weekend. Pat and I had tickets for my Woman's Club Sweetheart Ball. We go every year and of course, it is always around my birthday. This year we bought tickets but as it got closer I didn't really feel like going. I "thought" I just wanted to stay home and catch up on some sleep. Pat and my friends encouraged me to go and I am glad they did. I really had a wonderful time. It was a lot of fun to get dressed up and go out for dinner and dancing. We danced a good portion of the night away. I have really nice friends and we had a great table. It was fun to spend the night with Patty, Cindy & Belinda! The only disappointment is that I somehow left without my camera and some really great shots of the night. I am still hoping that someone picked it up and I will get it back. Having said that, the only photo I have to post is the formal photo taken that night. Here is a picture of Pat & I taken at the beginning of the night.



I'm looking forward to next year!

ONE .....

singular sensation! We saw Chorus Line on Broadway last night. It was a wonderful night in NYC. We met my sister and her family for a nice leisurely dinner. Before the show, Kerry dropped off a letter to the star of the show introducing herself and letting her know this was her first broadway show. Kerry's dance teacher knows the performer and had called ahead so we could meet her backstage after the show. We saw a wonderful show and to our surprise, at the end of the show (from the stage) the star of the show thanked all the parents who took their children to Kids Night on Broadway and then mentioned that she received a lovely letter from a young lady at her first broadway play and wanted to find Kerry in the audience. We were in the third row so when Kerry raised her hand, she spotted her immediately. She said some nice things to Kerry from the stage. When we left the theater we went backstage and took a look around and then Kerry got autographs and had her picture taken with all the stars of the show.

Here are a few of the photo's from the night.

Here is Kerry with Charlotte D'Amboise who played the part of Cassie. This is backstage at the theater.



Here is Kerry with Bryan Knowton who played the part of Paul.



Here is Kerry and her cousin Jenny with Natalie Cortez who played the part of Diana.





Here is Kerry with Emily Fletcher who played Sheila


We have pictures with the other cast members but thought we would share a few.

Next week we are seeing Chicago!

Altered Canister

I've been making matching items (same SU Designer Paper) that I will put together and send to a Secret Sister on SCS. You already saw the pull treat from yesterday, here is a canister made with an empty crystal light canister. It's filled with my Secret Sis's favorite candy.





Tonight Kerry and I are going on a fun adventure.....I'll tell you all about it tomorrow and will hopefully have pictures to post.

Have a great day!

P.S. Karie - this is project #3 for February **

** What's this all about? Karie is having a blog candy contest on her blog. You will be entered into a drawing for blog candy if you post 14 cards, projects, scrapbook pages (anything stamping) in February. Visit Karie's Blog HERE

Pull Treat Pouch

Here is another item I made following a tutorial on SCS. The best part of this is the chocolate inside. It's a big bar of Bridgewater Chocolate which is my favorite!




When you pull on the ribbon, the treat comes out....




Note to Karie: This is project number 2 for February.

Sour Cream Containers

The tutorial over on SCS on sour cream containers reminded me of how easy these are to make. I made a ton of them a few years ago. This is a little Valentine Sour Cream holder I made for a friend.



I meant to put the tag on the other side so the seam wouldn't show but I still like it. The paper is old, retired SU paper I found in my paper stash.

The Feb/March Project magazine has been posted over at Scor-Pal. Don't forget to visit and try some of the great projects. The Scor-pal makes paper crafting so easy!

Note to Karie: This is project #1 for February blog contest!