Sammie

I am so sleepy I can barely hold my eyes open so this is going to be a quick one!  I created a card tonight using My Digital Studio for the weekly challenge on Late Night Stampers.  The challenge was to include an insect in your creation.  I actually think I have gotten rid of most of my buggy stamps but I can always count on MDS to find a stamp.  Think I included enough insects? 

 I also have to share this picture that Ashley sent me tonight.  My friend, Kenny brought Sammie a toy last month when she came to Stamp Club.  Sammy wasn't impressed with the toy and never played with it.  The blue plastic circle has holes in it for them to put their paws and there is a ball rolling around inside.  I knew the perfect place for the toy since Sammie didn't want it .... with Bogart!  So, I sent it to Ashley and she got it today.  Looks like I picked the right cat!  That should keep him busy for a while.

I got registered for CKC-Charlotte today.  Ashley is going to come down in August and go with me.  We are taking 2 classes on Friday (and doing a little shopping!) and 4 classes on Saturday.  Marianne is going to try to take 1/2 day off on Friday and go to one of the our Friday classes and all the ones on Saturday with us.  We booked a hotel room across the street from the Convention Center so it will be a fun girls weekend!

CKC this weekend

Whew!  I am wiped out!  Marianne and I went to Charlotte on Thursday afternoon for CKC.  We spent the evening in the lobby of the hotel watching the Panthers on tv and working on some scrappin' kits.  Then we were up bright and early Friday morning to go to our first class at 8:30.  We had a small break after our first class and went down to the vendor faire to do a little shopping.  We ended up stopping at the SEI booth and doing their make & take.  We made 4 really nice cards but it was a pretty messy and time consuming make & take - probably taking close to 45 minutes.  That cut seriously into our shopping time!  But we made up for it after our classes were done around 4 pm.  That gave us a couple of hours to hit the floor running!   While working on our make & takes, we ran into some Mooresville friends.

Andrea & Karen

Karen & Vicki



Marianne & I

Here are a few of the nice things we oohed and aahed over:

Marianne wants to make this!



I like this acrylic album



This is from Keller Creations

Heartfelt Creations - dies to make this gorgeous card

I am leaving in the morning to drive to Texas.  Just a few more days and I'll be seeing my girl!!  Can't wait! 

My postings may be sporadic while I'm on the road the next week.

Another convention!

I'm headed to another convention this weekend.  I'm sure getting my fill this summer of creativity sessions!  Marianne and I are going to Charlotte today through Saturday to the CKC Convention.  We'll be leaving as soon as she gets off work.  I'm all packed and ready!  We have a full schedule this year.  We start our classes Friday morning at 8:30.  Most classes are an hour - we are taking 4 classes on Friday finishing our last one at 4:10.  We have a 3 hour break from 9:30 to 12:30 which I'm sure we'll spend it downstairs at the vendor fair!!  On Saturday, our schedule is just as full - starting at 8:30 for a 1 1/2 hour class and going straight through until 3:00.  We do have an hour break from 10 - 11 so guess we'll get some nourishment then!   I really enjoy the classes at CKC and hope these are just as good as the others we have taken.  We are taking some projects down to work on in our hotel tonight.  We stay at the Hampton Inn right across from the convention center.  The Hampton has a very nice area with tables and tv's that we can spread out and scrap while we watch some football (think the Panthers are playing tonight).  Plus, they have cookies and tea for you!!

When I get home Saturday, I have to get my things packed to go to Texas.  We leave on Sunday morning so it is going to be ... unpack one suitcase and pack another!  

I had a massage this morning so I could be relaxed and ready to play!! 

Here are a few of my favorite cards from the display boards at Regionals last weekend.

This kraft box will be available in the Holiday Mini!

Have a wonderful weekend!  Not sure if I'll have time (or energy) to post for a few days.

Live Like We're Dying

I had a great time at CKC (Creating Keepsakes Convention) but, boy, was I tired last night!  We spent Thursday and Friday nights in downtown Charlotte at the Hampton Inn.  So much better than where we have stayed in the past - Hilton - as far as nearness to the Convention Center (across the street!), parking (FREE) and breakfast (FREE - a full breakfast - bacon, eggs, etc.) plus a little cheaper.  I took a lot more classes this time than I ever have.  I think we took 4 classes on Friday and 4 or 5 on Saturday.  You would think I didn't have much time left for shopping ... but you would be wrong!  In fact, my arms were sore today and the only thing I can contribute that to was carrying all my "loot" around.  Here is a picture after I unpacked all my bags:

I piled a lot of the packages on a tv tray until it got too tall.

This is what wouldn't fit on the tv tray and I piled on my desk.  Now to find storage for all this!!

I'm not that much of a scrapbooker but mostly what we were making were little albums - chipboard, acrylic, etc.  I enjoy doing those.  As I complete them, I'll share them with you.  My final class on Saturday was a Dimensional Elements card class by Technique Tuesdays.  I learned a few new tricks but I was frustrated that we did not even complete one card!  I finished them today though.

This flower was so cool!  Here's how you make it:

Take a 4" x 4" piece of paper and draw a spiral pattern on it.  Cut along the spiral line.  Ink the edges of the spiral.  Starting at the outside edge, begin the process of rolling the paper strip all the way to the center.  Place a glue dot on the flat end (middle) of the coil and stick the top layers down.  Attach the flower to your project.  You can crumple it if you want before you start rolling it up.

This is the inside of the above card/gift holder.

I know these were all the rage not too long ago, but I never made one.  It was really fun.

Those scallop around the page were stamped onto the paper and cut out.  I used stickles on the center of the paper flowers.

I need to redo this one - I'm not liking it.  The saying "celebrate one cupcake ...) is stamped on twill tape.

This is a little gift card enclosure.

My grandson turned 4 yesterday.  It's hard to believe he is that old already.  Unfortunately, things have gotten worse with our relationship and I did not get to wish him Happy Birthday.  Someday .... 

One of the classes that I took was Life's Lyrics.  We had to take the lyrics to several songs to class.  While looking through song lyrics last week, I came across some really thought provoking ones.  One in particular has been going through my head all day (from Live Like You Are Dying)

So if your life flashed before you, what would you wish you would've done?

we gotta start lookin' at the hands of the time we've been given
If this is all we got, then we gotta start thinkin'
If every second counts on a clock that's tickin'
Gotta live like we're dying

We only got 86 400 seconds in a day to
Turn it all around or to throw it all away
We gotta tell 'em that we love 'em while we got the chance to say
Gotta live like we're dying


And if your plane fell out of the skies
Who would you call with your last goodbye?
Should be so careful who we left out of our lives
And when we long for absolution, there will be no one on the line

Gotta live like we're dying ....

Corkboard

 have started making things for a craft fair that I am going to participate in.  It will be in November and those who know me will be surprised that I am already starting to prepare!!  I am usually a last-minute gal!  Today I made a corkboard using a 12"x12" picture frame that I bought a couple of months ago.  My inspiration was my sister who made one of these last spring.  Hers was so cute!   Here is mine:

I painted the wooden frame with some green acrylic paint that I had - 2 or 3 coats.  I took the glass out and replaced it with the 12"x12" piece of cork.  On one side of the cork, I put a piece of designer paper and a piece of ribbon.  I did not glue them down so they could be changed.  I made a crimped flower using Poppy Parade cardstock.  The stem and petals are Kiwi Kiss that I ran through my crimper. 

I will be in downtown Charlotte the next few days.  Marianne, Sharon ("girlfriend") and I have rooms booked for Thursday and Friday nights for the CKC Convention.  Marianne and I have signed up for a lot of classes!!  Friday we will be taking hour long classes at 8:30; 10:00; and 12:30.  Then we have a 1 1/2 hour class at 6 pm.  Not sure when we will find time to shop and eat but I'm sure we will.  On Saturday, we are booked for a 2 hour class at 8:30 and one hour classes at 11, 12:30 and 2!!  After all our classes, we hope to get over to a scrapbook store that is in Charlotte.  We have never been but we have coupons that we got on Groupon that is burning a hole in our pockets!   Saturday night we will meet the family at Galway Hooker for some yummy fish and chips.  I'm sure on Sunday, I will be exhausted!!  So, I probably won't be blogging until Sunday or Monday.