Feb Monday Mailer #1

We still have a lot of snow outside.  The sun did come out today but did not do much for melting the snow.  I don't think it got much above freezing and it is supposed to go down to the teens tonight.  So any of the snow that did melt, will freeze over tonight and make the roads treacherous tomorrow.  I am assuming that school will be canceled around here tomorrow.  So even though the snow came over the weekend, the school kids will be happy tomorrow!  We didn't venture out today so I don't know what the roads around here are like. I just enjoyed a lazy day, watched a couple of movies I had taped earlier and made a few cards.  I'm making a few cards to send to some magazines. 

This is the card I made for my Monday Mailer.  We are starting a new month with new partners.  We don't have a theme this month so we can do anything we want.  I used the Big Bird punch that is in the Occasions Mini Catalog and I made him into a cardinal.  The little peak on his head is from a wing that I glued on.  I sponged a little black on him.  The leaves are from the same punch and I found some scraps of Old Olive that had been crimped so that is what I used.  The paper is from the Good Neighbors DSP pack that is FREE in the Saleabration catalog with any $50 order.  It's a great value!!

Snowy Wonderland

Well, we definately got the snow last night!  Probably about 6-8" of the white stuff.  Sonny and I went to the movies yesterday afternoon (Edge of Darkness - pretty good) and it started snowing while we were in the movies.  We met the family for dinner at a Mexican restaurant and it continued to snow.  By the time we got home, the snow had stopped but sometime during the night it started back up with a vengence.  When I woke up this a.m., everywhere was white.  It was so beautiful.  Sonny and I walked over to the boat in the afternoon to clear some of the snow off the cover before it got messed up.  But .... we were too late.  The heavy snow had weighted down the cover and one of the poles had ripped through the canvas cover already.  We worked for about an hour trying to get the snow off the cover with little success.  So we walked back home (about 3 blocks) and Sonny got a shovel and drove back down.  (I had had enough fun for one day!)  He was down there close to 2 hours!!  I was actually getting worried that he'd had a heart attack or somehthing.  But, he was fine and I think actually enjoyed "playing" in the snow!!  Of course, I had camera in hand and snapped a few pictures.

Here's Sonny trudging up the driveway!

I'm pretty bundled up!!

Don't think we'll be grilling today!!

This is my favorite!  I put that mixing bowl out last night before I went to bed to collect snow for snow-cream!  This is what it looked like this morning.  And come to think of it, it is still outside and I haven't made my snow cream.  Guess what I am going to do next????  Yummmm!!  Wonder if it still is good as I remember??

Here is a card I made yesterday.  I really love how it turned out! 

I cut the 2 ovals out of SU Vanilla cardstock with my Oval Nesties.  The base card is Rich Razzleberry (in color).  I wheeled the Vanilla cardstock with the Very Vintage Wheel in Rich Razzleberry.  The Vintage Vogue flowers (from the Occasions mini) are stamped in Rich Razzleberry (some full strength and some stamped off first) and cut out.  The leaves are stamped in Always Artichoke (some full strength & some stamped off).  I put copper brads through the centers of the flowers and glued them down.  A couple of them are popped up with dimensionals.  I'll be sending this card to one of the NC SU demos in Charlotte who lost her husband recently.

What do you think?  Please leave me a comment!

I'm Older Than Dirt!

It's SNOWING!!  Really coming down too!  We went to the movies this afternoon and it started snowing while we were there.  Then we met the family for dinner - it's my sister's birthday on Monday - and it started snowing big time while in the restaurant!  I'll be posting pictures tomorrow!  A good day for stampin!

I just love these!  A friend sent it to me so thought I would share.

How many do you remember?


Head lights dimmer switches on the floor of the car.
Ignition switches on the dashboard.
Trouser leg clips for bicycles without chain guards.
Soldering irons you heated on a gas burner.
Using hand signals for cars without turn signals.
"Sturmey Arches" 3-Speed Gears on bicycle handlebars
Empty Orange Juice Plastic Orange shaped balls on car aerials
Acrylic Fake Fur on car dashboards and shelf behind backseats
Wooden Floor Polish and Floor Polishers

Older Than Dirt Quiz:

Count all the ones that you remember, not the ones you were told about.

Ratings at the bottom.

1. Sweet cigarettes
2. Coffee shops with juke boxes
3.Home milk delivery in glass bottles
4. Party lines on the telephone
5. Newsreels before the movie
6. TV test patterns that came on at night after the last show and were there until TV shows started again in the morning.
7.Peashooters
8. 33 rpm records
9. 45 RPM records
10. Hi-fi's
11. Metal ice trays with lever
12. Blue flashbulb
13. Cork popguns
14. Wash tub wringers
15. Going into town for a Saturday Matinee
16. Trading Comics
17. Sherbert and liquorice in a small greaseproof bag
18. Tricycles
19. Red step/verandah polish
20. Bakers delivering bread by bicyles to the door
21. Barber's planks across chairs to make boys "taller"
22. Cardboard pegged into bicycle spokes to make "engine noise"
23. Collecting/swapping themed cards
24 Going to the outdoor "Drive-In Theatre" for a movie
25. Swimming with rubber bathing caps on

If you remembered 0-3 = You're still young
If you remembered 3-6 = You are getting older
If you remembered 7-10 = Don't tell your age,
If you remembered 11-14 =You're older than dirt!

Flower Brooch and SNOW is coming

Last weekend Marianne and I went to Hancock's Fabrics and I bought a bunch of material to make some flower brooches / pins.  They are made with the Sizzix Flower Folds Die (page 201 of SU catty) and my Big Shot.  I'm not sure yet what I'm going to do with them, but it was fun making them!  I'm now on the look-out for some cute buttons for the center.  Unfortunately, the SU corduroy buttons I have weren't the right colors, but if they were, they would work great.

Can you tell I like pink?????

We're expecting big weather changes here tomorrow.  It was over 60 degrees today and just beautiful, but that won't be the case for the next few days.  Sonny and I volunteer with the Red Cross and are on stand-by alert in case we are needed to help staff a shelter this weekend.  Here is the weather alert we got late this afternoon from the Red Cross and National Weather Service:

• System is slowing down meaning that precipitation should not start until late afternoon until early evening Friday  
• Rapid increase of intensity Friday evening is expected  
• Storm snow totals are showing 10+ inches in northern Iredell to around 6 inches in southern Iredell  
• NWS is issuing a WINTER STORM WARNING effective from 2 PM Friday through Saturday  
• Low Temps Friday night in the mid 20’s  
• High’s Saturday will not be above freezing  
• Winds will increase during the period to 15-20 MPH with gust to 30 MPH  
• Temps Saturday night in the teens / Sunday in mid 30’s / Sunday night possible single digits  
• There may be significant icing up to 4/10” along the I-85 corridor  
• This forecast is fairly certain however a small change in the track could bring the icing event further north  

I'm supposed to be teaching a Valentine Northwoods class at our stamp store on Saturday afternoon.  Hmmmm - don't think so!  Hopefully, it will be re-scheduled to next weekend.

Another Calendar - can you believe it?

Last week when we thought Ashley was going to be deployed ASAP, I quickly put together a Care Package Box to mail to her.  Ever since our return from Texas, I've been putting things in the box - books, stamp items I brought back with me (by mistake), etc.  So I decided to make her a calendar real quick to take to Haiti with her.  I had this great Silver Photo Flip Album (4" x 6") that was perfect for holding the calendar and looks really pretty sitting on a desk.  So I got to work and got these calendar pages done in about 3 days!  Looks like I could have taken my time since she is still waiting to hear when they will be leaving.  But, in the meantime, she found out yesterday that she passed her medical BOARDS!!  Now she is a Board Certified Infectious Disease Pediatrician!!  There was no doubt in my mind that she would pass but she was not quite so sure.  Needless to say, I am very proud of her.

Remember - you can click on the pictures to make them bigger - you just have to click the back arrow to come back to my blog.

This is the cover of the calendar.  I used a Northwoods stamp and a lot of glitter!

This is another Northwoods stamp and Stickles!

This is the Stampin' Up set - Love Bandits from the Occasions Mini.

This is by Great Impressions (I think!)

This one is My Favorite Things and I paper-pieced the dress.

These little owls are from Stampin' Up.

This is a retired Stampin' Up set.

These stars are punched with my SU star punches.

This is another retired SU set (boo hoo - I love it) - Scene in a Garden.

This is Vintage Vogue from SU's Occasions Mini.  Isn't this paper wild?

Here's the great Sock Monkey (SU).

Another retired SU set!  It was a hostess set last year.

This is Delightful Decorations from the Christmas - sure hope it makes it into the next catalog.  I also used the raindeer from the current SU catalog - Holiday Lineup.

Chicken Chili Blanco

Yum...and good for you too!  Make some this weekend while you're waiting for it to snow!

Chicken Chili Blanco

♦ 6 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs
♦ Nonstick cooking spray
♦ 1 large onion, finely chopped (1 cup)
♦ 2 cloves garlic, minced
♦ 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
♦ 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
♦ 1 (15 1/2 ounce) can reduced-sodium kidney beans, rinsed and drained
♦ 1 (8 1/2 ounce) can cream-style corn
♦ 1/2 cup chopped red or green sweet pepper
♦ 1/2 cup dry white wine
♦ 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies, drained
♦ 1 teaspoon ground cumin
♦ 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
♦ Dash salt
♦ 1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley

Rinse the chicken; pat dry with paper towels. Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces. Spray a large saucepan with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat saucepan over medium heat. Add chicken, onion, and garlic. Cook about 2 minutes or till chicken is no longer pink. Stir in chicken broth, mushrooms, kidney beans, corn, chopped pepper, wine, chilies, cumin, oregano, and salt. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in parsley.

Makes 4 servings

Per serving: 240 Calories, 18 g Protein, 3 g Fat, 0 g Saturated Fat, 39 g Carbohydrate, 628 mg Sodium, 22 mg Cholesterol, 7 g Dietary Fiber

(from  DWLZ Recipes)

Bon Appetite!

When I'm an Old Lady ....

When I'm an old lady, I'll live with each kid,
And bring so much happiness...just as they did.
I want to pay back all the joy they've provided.
Returning each deed! Oh, they'll be so excited!
(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids)

I'll write on the wall with reds, whites and blues,
And I'll bounce on the furniture...wearing my shoes.
I'll drink from the carton and then leave it out.
I'll stuff all the toilets and oh, how they'll shout!
(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids)

When they're on the phone and just out of reach,
I'll get into things like sugar and bleach.
Oh, they'll snap their fingers and then shake their head,
(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids)

When they cook dinner and call me to eat,
I'll not eat my green beans or salad or meat,
I'll gag on my okra, spill milk on the table,
And when they get angry...I'll run...if I'm able!
(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids)

I'll sit close to the TV, through the channels I'll click,
I'll cross both eyes just to see if they stick.
I'll take off my socks and throw one away,
And play in the mud 'til the end of the day!
(When I'm an old lady and live with my kids)

And later in be d, I'll lay back and sigh,
I'll thank God in prayer and then close my eyes.
My kids will look down with a smile slowly creeping,
And say with a groan, "She's so sweet when she's sleeping!"*

God Bless All Moms and Grandmas EVERYWHERE - EVERY DAY!!!

What to do on a rainy Sunday?

Yesterday was a rainy day here in North Carolina.  Nothing to do except watch football and make a few cards, etc.  So that’s what I did!  I still had a few items from the CK Convention (last summer) that I hadn’t finished, so I pulled them out and worked on them. 

This is a “pop up” card.  The “Good friends ….” pops up from the little box but folds flat for mailing.  Here’s a side view to get the idea -

This is a box that holds an accordion type little photo album.

Here it is coming out of the box.  All it needs is a few pictures!

This is a sideways view.

This is a little photo holder made with chipboard.  I thought it turned out really cute.

I enjoyed watching the play-off games on Sunday also.  Since My Steelers weren’t in the running, I was pulling for the Jets against the Colts.  Our neighbors and good friends from Gig Harbor are die-hard Jets fans.  I know they were not happy yesterday.  In the later game, which I thought was the better of the two, I was pulling for the Saints.  I wasn’t disappointed in them although the Vikings really just gave it away.  Now, it’s time for Brett Favre to retire …. and STAY RETIRED!!  You know, last year this time, I was in Pittsburgh, elated that the Steelers were going to the Super Bowl.  Oh well, better luck next year!

Stampin' Up Specials Going On NOW

Country Living Stationery Kit (Customer Order Dates: January 5-April 30, 2010, or while supplies last)

This exclusive Stampin' Up! kit (item 119113) includes the following products:

Dinner Party stamp set (set of 3)
Ballet Blue Classic Stampin' Spot
Preprinted stationery (24 sheets: 4 each of 6 designs)

$19.95 for the complete kit

While designed as a stationery kit, there are a variety of ways the kit can be used; for example, it can be used for menu cards, greeting cards, dinner invitations, etc.

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Not in the Occasions Mini . . . NEW! Sweet Treat Heart Cups & Stamps
Just in time for Valentine's Day! Stampin' Up!'s new Heart Treat Cups coordinate perfectly with the Sweetheart stamp set (also new, below) and the Full Heart Punch (113693).

Download the flier HERE and put in your Occasions Mini Catalog!

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NOW available! Simply Adorned Jewelry and Charms. 

Simply Adorned charms are lockets--they open up so you can insert your custom stamped image. The Charming stamp set, along with Rub-Ons, glitter, ribbons, and other embellishments, can help you create your unique charm insert. And don't forget that you can embellish the chains with ribbon, felt flowers . . . the possibilities are endless! The frame surrounds tempered beveled glass on the front and flat glass on the back. Because there's glass on both sides of the charm, you can display an image on one side or both. You can create a custom heirloom piece that you'll never want to change, or you can swap artwork in and out, depending on your mood and your wardrobe.

Check out Simply Adorned Jewelry (above), featured on page 28 of the Occasions Mini Catalog.

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And don't forget -

Sale-A-Bration: Jan. 5 - March 31. For every $50 you spend on Stampin' Up! products, you will receive a free Sale-A-Bration stamp set (including clear mount options), the amazing new Scallop Trim Punch or darling designer series paper. Click here to view the Sale-A-Bration Catalog.

Occasions Mini Catalog: Jan. 5 - April 30. You'll discover 43 pages loaded with new stamp sets (including clear mount options), new designer paper, ribbon, epoxy brads and so much more. Click here to view the Occasions Mini Catalog.

Haiti Relief via Stampin’ Up

On January 12, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti, leaving in its wake devastation so overwhelming that the Haitian people and their leaders can only look for help from the outside to cope.

From now until February 28,  $2 from every I {Heart} Hearts stamp set sold will be donated to the American Red Cross’ Haiti Relief and Development Fund. The Red Cross is already well-established in Haiti, and this money will be used to provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need.

The I {Heart} Hearts clear mount set sells for $18.95.  The wood-mount stamp set sells for $26.95.

This is a simple and straightforward plan; the more stamp sets sold, the greater the difference can be made. Often it is the simplest plans that work best.

Stampin’ Up is also sending hygiene kits to Haiti.  See Shelli’s pictures - http://www.soshelli.com/so-shelli-blog/2010/1/20/helping-haiti.html

Monday Mailer card

We are still in a "wait and see" mode for Ashley's deployment to Haiti.  Just wish they'd hurry up and tell her when she will be leaving!!  But I don't think the Army does anything in a hurry!!  She and I have both downloaded Skype and gotten a web-cam and microphone so that we can talk to each other .... IF she has internet connection there!!

Anyway .... I received two cards this week from my Monday Mailer partner.  Life got in the way last week and she wasn't able to get my card to me so she mailed two this week!  They are great cards. 

Final 2 Northwoods Cards

Here are the final 2 Northwoods cards that I will be doing in my class.  Would love to have you there!!

 

 

A clean desk and deployment info

I had a fairly productive day today.  While waiting to hear news from Ashley about her deployment, I cleaned my desk and some of my drawers!   You just can’t believe how many glue sticks, tape runners, etc. I had in my drawer just all jumbled up.  Now, let’s hope I can keep them somewhat organized!  Look at this desk -

I can’t remember when my desk was that clean!!  I even got all the bits and pieces of ribbon that I had laying around in their correct jars.

Of course, that’s not all the ribbon I have!

That’s still not all of it … what can I say?  I like pretty ribbon!

So all this cleaning inspired me to create a few cards!

This baby card is for Julie and Jim, friends of Ashley’s from med school.  Julie had a baby a couple of weeks ago (Charlie!).  She wasn’t due until mid February but because the baby was so large, they induced her.  I think he ended up weighing over 9 pounds!!  And he was early!!

This card is one I made and sent to my Monday Mailer partner.  Aren’t those little raccoons just darling??  They are in the new Occasions Mini Catalog.  Remember, you can order them either in the clear mount or traditional SU hard rubber.

So, it looks like Ashley will be going to Haiti and possible pretty soon – maybe even next week.  It just depends on how fast the Army can work.   Her name has been submitted to the person who is putting together the team.  She would be the MED AUG [medical augmentation] with the 86th Combat Support Hospital -- basically a tent hospital.  Hopefully, she will know more tomorrow so she can begin to get all her affairs in order.

Italian Tortelli Soup

Here is a great soup for those chilly evenings ~

♦ 1 onion, chopped
♦ 1 cup sliced mushrooms
♦ 2 cloves garlic
♦ 1/2 cup fat-free chicken broth
♦ 1 can [15 oz] low-sodium tomato sauce
♦ 1 green pepper, chopped
♦ 1 cup diced zucchini
♦ 2 tbsp dry sherry or apple juice
♦ 1 1/2 tsp dried Italian herb seasoning
♦ 9 oz reduced-fat cheese-filled tortellini
♦ 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Coat a saucepan with nonstick spray. Add the onions, mushrooms, garlic and 3 tbsp broth. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until onions soften, usually 5-6 minutes.
Stir in the tomato sauce, green peppers, zucchini, sherry, Italian seasoning, remaining broth and tortellini. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with pepper.

Makes 4 servings

Per serving: 278 calories, 4.8 g fat, 34 mg chol, 325 mg sodium, 5.4 g fiber *5
—Prevention's Guide to Low-Fat Living, October 1997

More Northwoods Cards

Today I went to the Y.  Yes, after taking about a month (or more) off from exercising, I am hoping to make this a habit again.  I think it works best to schedule exercising.  If you just try to exercise when you get a minute or two or three, you never really work it into your day – at least, I don’t!   Something better always presents itself.  So, I took a couple of classes – fitness and stretch which I really enjoy.  At the end of the stretch class, we have a 5 minute meditation session.  So my meditation consisted of thinking about my family – my uncommunicative son, my moody husband, and my daughter’s possibilities of getting deployed.  When I finished and went out to my car, I had a missed call and voice message from my daughter.  If I’d checked further, I would have noticed that not only did I have 1 missed call from Ashley, but I had 6 missed calls from her.  So guess what she was calling to tell me???  Yep, she may be getting deployed in the next 2-3 weeks.  The good part is it would be a 6-month deployment to HAITI!  That would be so much better than Iraq or Afghanistan!!  Plus, as an Infectious Disease Pediatrician, she would be doing what she was trained for.  She wants this so bad.  I hope it happens for her although I would miss her terribly.  But six months in Haiti  is so much better than a year or more in Afghanistan.   Her boss is submitting her name to who ever is putting together the team.  She hope to find out in a few days.

Here are a couple more of the Northwoods cards I will be doing in my class.  My card is on top and the one underneath is from the Northwoods Stamp Board.