Birthday Mojo 414

I turned 36 today.

I got to enjoy a simple day with my husband and my kids.  Ate good, home-made food.  Watched football.  Counted my many blessings.

I made this card earlier this week for a birthday twin...another lady who shares the date with me.  Someone who has given me good council on being a mother to a daughter, and numerous other things.

Stamps:Celebrate Today
Ink: Basic Black (Archival) and VersaMark
Paper:  Basic Black, Whisper White, Tip Top Taupe, Go Wild DSP, and Gold Foil
Accessories:  Balloon Framelits, Banner Framelits, Bitty Banners Framelits, Gold Emboss Powder, Whisper White Baker's Twine, Dimensionals

A Holiday Mini Sneak Peak!!

The new holiday catalog comes out on the 1st - are you excited!!  I am!!  I ordered a bunch of fall themed items and have been having so much fun playing with my new toys.

Here is my card I created for the Mojo Monday 412 challenge.  Very simple.  I love Mojo Monday - a great card sketch blog that you can use to help you get your ideas out on paper.

Ink:  Archival Basic Black, Soft Suede, Tangelo Twist
Paper:  Soft Suede, Crumb Cake, Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White, and Daffodil Delight; Into the Woods DSP
Stamps:  Acorny Thank You
Accessories:  Into the Woods 3/8 Cotton Ribbon, Circle Framelits, Acorn Builder Punch, Dimensionals

I'm Baaaack!!!

So, it's been awhile.

Ha, not just awhile.  It's been YEARS.

Life happens.

Isn't that the truth?  Life is complicated, messy, unorganized, fast-paced, hectic, and all-too-short.  I have learned two things in all the empty space from last post to today.

ONE:  Life never goes as planned.

TWO:  Life is what YOU make of it.  10% is what happens to you...90% is how you react.

I'm back into "active craft" mode.  Meaning, I create at least one thing a week, if not more.

Here's a card I made for this week's MojoMonday challenge.  Really needed a break from a 100 card order.  Hope you enjoy!

Stamps:  From Land to Sea, By the Tide, Another Thank You
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), VersaMark, Tip Top Taupe, Island Indigo
Paper:  Island Indigo, Tip Top Taupe, Whisper White, Basic Black, Go Wild DSP Stack
Accessories:  Clear Embossing Powder, Dimensionals, Sponge Daubers, Gold Metallic Thread, Multipurpose Liquid Glue, Gold Stampin' Glitter, Aqua Painters

A Change

A change has occurred.

Life isn't always rainbows and daisies. 

No, sometimes it hails and weeds will inevitably pop up in your little garden.

The challenge is how you react. 

Sometimes, it's a matter of how you prepared. 

Thankfully, I was partially prepared for my recent change.

I have been laid off from my job.

Something that I knew, deep in the recesses of my mind, was a possibility, but never expected.

Thankfully, I have been working on getting rid of debt, preparing an Emergency Plan A and B (yes, because I've been there, done that before...), and writing down lots and lots of thoughts for "What if..."

So, the change here is to be more productive.  To be more proactive. 

No longer will this blog be just about my Stampin' Up! crafts, but about all my creations. 

I am hopeful to start making my crafts become income-earners.

Hopefully enough to pay a bill here and there, enough to keep me from going insane.

Here's to change - an inevitable fact of life. 

May I see the positive side of this new chapter in my life.  Let the journey begin.

Tea Party Card Set

A request for a special order. Two desk sets filled with six cards each, and an address book.

The paper she fell in love with is, of course, from a couple of years ago. I searched all over for enough designer paper to make her idea a reality. And thanks to the lovely generosity of a few fellow Stampin'Up! demonstrators (and a paper hoarder), after a nationwide call for help, I had just what I needed!!

By the way, try looking for a nice address book that you can cover. Go and ask for help at an office supply store to find one. I searched high and low for a nice one. I asked clerks and sales associates - and instead of helping me find one, I was asked why I didn't use the one on my phone. Truly, technology is ruining the mystique of putting ink to paper.

 

Up, Up & Away - Mojo 232

A friend has invited me to bring my cards to show off at her mother's jewelry show.
To say that I am a little nervous is an understatement. 

So I'm making cards to take...

To inspire...

To hopefully share a smile.

This one I made for my baby brother's birthday.  Which is today.  I used the sketch from Mojo Monday to help pull the card together.

He's not really a baby.  No.  But he's the baby of the family.  Even at 30, which is how old he is today, I'm reminded that he is the baby.  I guess after walking him to school, cooking his meals, washing his clothes, holding his hand when he was scared, and playing ninjas afterschool, you never are able to look at someone at their real age, ever.  Which is why I remember him with longer hair, parted to the side, dark blue jeans and a green sweatshirt...never as the 30 year old that he is today.

Happy Birthday little brother. 

Stamps: Up, Up & Away
Paper:  Tempting Turquoise, Old Olive, Daffodil Delight, Real Red, Big Top Birthday DSP, and Whisper White
Ink:  Basic Black, Daffodil Delight, and Old Olive
Accessories: Old Olive Satin Ribbon, Dimensionals, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, and Tasteful Trim Big Shot Die

FL180 - Happy Birthday

I got some new stamps recently!!

(And ribbon, and paper, and punches, and buttons, and brads...)

Right now is Sale-A-Bration (until March 31st!!) which means for every $50.00 you spend, you get a free product!  Which is great because who doesn't like FREE???

So, with my FREE supplies, and a layout from Clean & Simple, I created this:

What do you think?

Stamps:  Fresh Vintage and Apothecary Art
Ink:  Soft Suede
Paper: Calypso Coral, Pool Party, Very Vanilla, Lucky Limeade, Peach Parfait, and Everyday Enchantment DSP
Accessories: Brads and Ribbon from Everyday Enchantment Ribbon & Brad Pack, Hat Pin, Beautiful Wings Embosslits, Beautiful Butterflies Bigz Die, Eyelet Border Punch, 1 1/4" Square Punch, Tea Stain from Distressing Essentials Kit, and Basic Pearls

A Double Take

I'm trying to get my mojo back.

Actually, if you knew what this week has brought me, you would know that I'm just trying to get some sense of normalcy back

*sigh*

In the meantime, I was able to participate in this week's Clean & Simple Challenge.  I created this card as my initial response...

And then decided to amp it up a little. 

Just a little. 

Thanks for looking!

Card #1
Stamps:  Fabulous Florets and On Your Birthday
Ink: Basic Black, Daffodil Delight, Old Olive, and Melon Mambo
Paper:  Whisper White
Accesories:  Dimensionals

Card #2
Stamps:  Fabulous Florets and On Your Birthday
Ink:  Basic Black, Daffodil Delight, Old Olive, and Melon Mambo
Paper:  Whisper White, Daffodil Delight DSP, and Crumb Cake
Accessories:  Dimensionals, Hemp Twine

Distractions

I'm supposed to be doing homework.

My homework.

I've been sitting here since about 9:30 this morning.  I read through what the teacher wants from us.  I read from my book. 

I cleaned my bathroom. 

I typed out a list of questions, researched, and typed the responses.

I made lunch.

And now all I need is 6 sentences about whether or not the 9th Circuit Court should be split. 

What I really want to do is try to replicate the Smash Book at Michael's with my Stampin'Up! supplies.   Make mini-Polaroid magnets like I saw on Pinterest.  Make a card using the current Clean and Simple layout.  Fill out the registration for the March Craft Fair at East Hills Mall.  Make cookie dough to be frozen for use any time I see fit (right now sounds good).

But I need to finish my assignment. 

Just 6 sentences...

Valentine - CASE'd

First, allow me to apologize for not staying as up to date as I would have liked. 

I did do a couple of craft fairs during the holidays. 

My physical self started to revolt againt my crafty self.

I had to take a little break.

I became addicted to Pinterest!

I signed up for school! 

And now, I think, my mojo is slowly coming back.

Speaking of Pinterest, I saw the cutest idea there for Valentine's Day on there!

I went to the link and found the cutest site, Six Sisters' Stuff...very cute and some great recipes I can't wait to try!

So, I decided that I HAD to CASE (Copy and Share Everything!!) it for my love.

So, without further ado...here's my version!

Hope he likes it!

(I promise to workon my photos soon!)