Surprise!!

Sorry I've been MIA lately. We had good friends from Texas here from Thursday through today and we had a great visit. Also, our daughter, Ashley (you can see her picture below with her grandmother and her cousin) arrived on Friday and left today. We were on the go 24/7!! Friday, Sharon (my Texas girlfriend) and I visited the Shelton Winery in the Yadkin Valley - about an hour away. We did a little wine tasting, had a great lunch (and a little more wine) at their restaurant, and took a tour .... and did a little more wine tasting!! And, I had to drive home - I was OK but beginning to get a headache!! We went back to my house and tried to take a quick nap before hitting the road again. The guys (and Ashley) picked us up shortly after we got home and we went to the Prickly Pear Restaurant in Mooresville. We met the rest of my family and some more friends from Florida and we all surprised my mother when she walked in for her birthday. She thought just my sister was taking her out to dinner for her birthday and we would be having a cook out on Saturday for her birthday. Ashley called her earlier to wish her a happy birthday and told her she wished she could be there but maybe she could visit in August. She was really surprised!! We had a tiara for her to wear and a blinking Happy Birthday pin!

On Saturday, we had her 80th surprise birthday party at her clubhouse. We had close to 100 of her friends and neighbors at the party. She was blown away and definitely surprised!! When she walked in, we all yelled "SURPRISE" and she burst into tears. Of course, my sister and I were crying with her. She had the time of her life visiting with everyone. After the party was over and we cleaned up the clubhouse, all the family came back to my house for sandwiches and fellowship. It was a great night but I sure was glad when it was all over!! She kept wanting to know what Sunday's surprise was going to be! It didn't come from us, but her Sunday School teacher was the preacher at church and announced to the whole congregation that it was her 80th birthday. She acted embarrassed but I know she loved it!

We were able to take some family pictures at the party. It seems like we never all get together long enough to get pictures! But, this time we got pictures of all us kids with mom and later some of the grand kids and husbands and wives and friends .....!! Now my sister and I have got to get busy and scrapbook all the pictures!!

So little time .... so much to do!!

Busy, busy, busy!!! My sisters and I are giving my mom a surprise 80th birthday party on Saturday. She thinks she is coming to my house Saturday evening for a cook out and has invited a few of her friends. In reality, we are having a surprise party in the afternoon for 60+ friends at her clubhouse! Hope we can pull it off! Her actual birthday is Friday and we are taking her out to dinner Friday night for a surprise .... trying to throw her off the track in case she suspects anything. I have made some paper flowers and am going to put them in vases on the tables. I started out stamping them with the Pick a Petal stamp set, but after a few, decided to just use my Oval Punch & punch out patterned paper!! Much easier!

This morning I had time to make a quick card for a good friend's grandson whose birthday is Friday. I'm so excited - I was finally able to use my new Sock Monkey stamp set. This stamp set will be in the new catty (available Aug. 11) and is so cute. It works great for paper piecing which is my favorite thing to do lately.

Retiring Accessories List

Retiring Accessories List as of 7/21/08

CLICK HERE for the Retiring Accessories list from Stampin' Up!
Remember, as items sell out, they will not be restocked, so everything is on a First Come, First Served basis. Email me with your order or contact me with any questions.

Playing with my new toys!

Well, I just don't know where to start with all my new toys. Not only did I receive my new SU stamps, in color inks and paper, but I also got some new clear stamps. They were on sale at Little Paper Shop and what gal can resist a sale???? They have some really nice stamps at a reasonable price (I got all 3 for $25 and that included shipping.) One set has a older woman with a martini in hand and several comical sayings (like, You're still hot .... It just comes in flashes now!) Another set are sympathy quotes. I never seem to have any of those when I need them. And the third set is about grandparents and grandchildren (There's only one perfect grandchild and every grandparent has it.) Let's hope I can use these in the future.


Here's a quick picture of some of my new Stampin' Up things.

I made a card today for my Monday Mailer. I made a Spring Card. The card folds flat and is 5 1/4 " square. When taken out of the envelope, it will "spring" up. You can find directions for this card on Splitcoast HERE. It was fun to make. I used the new set I bought from another SU demonstrator, Older and Wiser. We are supposed to use Bold Brights this month so I used Turquoise, Pixie Pink and Green Galore. I put Crystal Effects on the turquise spots on his back and sponged the bottom to look like grass. It's bright but I really like it. The paper I used is from Bali Breeze which will probably not be in our new catalog in August.

Work Before Play

I got my new stuff yesterday!!! Before I let myself play though, I made myself clean up my stamp room and rearrange some things. My stamps had become a jumbled mess! I had them separated by Retired and "in the catty" but my retired stamps were beginning to outnumber my "in" stamps, so decided to put them all together. I put them on shelves loosely alphabetical ... top shelf A-E, next F-O, etc. And I put a blue dot on all the retired ones. My background stamps are on top of the shelving unit. Anyway, it works for me most of the time!!

So today after cleaning a bit, I did a one-sheet wonder for my VCR roomie. I need to get her package in the mail Monday. I was in a one-sheet wonder swap so I used one that I received to make my cards and I am sending cardstock and another of the one-sheet wonders that I received to her for a "make and take".

After I finished that project, I worked on my swap for Jami. Jami is a Dirty Dozen (Splitcoast) alumni and her swaps are always excellent. I have been participating in her swaps for several years and they are always high quality. I only have to make 8 cards so it'll be pretty easy. My assignment is to use the new "in colors", Pink Piroutte and Riding Hood Red. The stamp set that I chose to use is a new one that I received yesterday - Window Dressing. I think the card really turned out cute! I also used another new color - Kiwi Kiss. I think Kiwi might be my favorite!!

I used our new Scallop Punch (it's great!) to punch the little curtain. I tried to make the windows up top look like stained glass by doing the Polished Stone Technique and cutting the little windows out individually (like I said, I only have to do 8!). The shutters on the side are also paper pieced. I stamped them on the Pink Pir. and cut them off and layered them on. I think I might do some doodling around the edges or just in the top corners. What do you think????

Post #100 - A Touch of Humor!

Since this is post #100!!!!! thought I'd insert a little humor into your day.

HOW QUICKLY THE YEARS PASS!

TIPS FOR THE LADIES

1. Aspire to be Barbie - the bitch has everything.

2. If the shoe fits - buy one in every colour.

3. Take life with a pinch of salt... A wedge of lime, and a shot of tequila.

4. In need of a support group? - Cocktail hour with the girls!

5. Go on the 30 day diet. (I'm on it and so far I've lost 15 days).

6. When life gets you down - just put on your big girl panties and deal with it.

7. Let your greatest fear be that there is no PMS and this is just your personality.

8. I know I'm in my own little world, but it's ok. They know me here.

9. Lead me not into temptation, I can find it myself.

10. Don't get your knickers in a knot, it solves nothing; and makes you walk funny.

11. When life gives you lemons in 2008 - turn it into lemonade then mix it with vodka.

12. Remember every good looking, sweet, single male is someone else's ex-boyfriend!

Hornet nest anyone?

Anyone who has lived in North Carolina any length of time has probably seen a hornets nest. I just discovered a huge one in a corner of our roof. The exterminator will be here tomorrow!! But, I'd really like to preserve it! Don't think that's gonna happen though. This nest is about 10-12" in diameter from my best judgement. I climbed up on a ladder today to snap this picture. My daughter is coming for a visit soon and she is deathly afraid of bees, hornets, etc. so we figured we'd better get rid of it so she could enjoy her visit and so she would come out of the house!

When we were first married, we lived in South Carolina and had a huge hornets nest growing in a pyracantha bush we had on the side of the house. My mom wanted us to preserve it for her and unbelievably, my husband did just that. (newly weds and all that - still trying to impress maybe??) My DH had me stand by the back door so he could spray the hornets and run into the house before they caught him. It was a funny sight but it worked.

Enjoy ... Monday Mailer #2

Bright, wouldn't you say? My second Monday Mailer this month for my NCSU Demo group uses red and yellow for inspiration. I used the Polka Dot background stamp on the yellow pieces and rounded their corners. The "enjoy" is stamped on a piece of designer paper. I dry embossed using SU's Pick a Petal brass stencil on the white and yellow pieces. Hope Mandy likes it!

Secret Sister Card

I got a great card this week from my Secret Sister. We have just started a new round of Secret Sisters in my NC group and this is my first card. She made the card using Chocolate Chip with Green Galore on top. Then where the orange tab is, it opens up also. The stamp set is from Bugs & Kisses. Enjoy!

Family

Family is really important to me. When we moved into our home in NC, I acquired a lot of old pictures of family members - most who are not with us anymore. On both sides of my dining room, I have pictures of these family members - my grandparents, great aunt, mom, dad, me and DH as children and of course, pictures of my son and daughter. So, I was delighted with Stampin' Up's new Decor Elements! I have been wanting to put something like that on my walls. My daughter-in-law has a "wallie" in her house and one of my good friends has one or two in her home. My order arrived Friday and today, I put up my own FAMILY!! It was so easy to apply - took about 20 minutes! Here's a link to the brochure so you can view other options. My other favorite is "Life Is Good". I saw a picture the other day of it on a truck window and on a boat!! Hmmmmm!