BIGGGGG NEWS

At Convention 2008 today, Shelli announced the launch of the Sizzix Big Shot for Stampin' Up! (die cutting machine). This exciting new product cuts through multiple layers and materials to create beautiful die cuts for all kinds of projects. SU also introduced a line of Stampin' Up! exclusive dies. The Big Shot machine and dies will enhance the current Stampin' Up! offering by giving you more choices for your art work.

Design your own custom pillow appliqués using the Tulipe Bigz die or make custom fabric flowers to embellish a quilt. From sewing to quilting to home décor, the Big Shot is the perfect tool for many types of crafting. Use Stampin' Up! exclusive dies to create die cuts and stencils with SU's artwork and designs for all your craft needs.

The Big Shot works with ALL competitive dies, and the steel rule dies can cut through an impressive list of over 50 materials, including fabric, foil, and chipboard.

It's important to note that there are different types of dies.

Originals, Bigz, and Bigz XL dies. These steel ruled dies cut through virtually any material and multiple sheets of card stock and Designer Series paper.

Sizzlets dies. These dies are small and detailed, often creating scored or perforated details. These dies cut through thin materials, and multiple sheets are not recommended.

Dr. Phil's Test

Dr. Phil scored 55 on this test when he took it; he did this test on Oprah - she got a 38.

Answers are for who you are now..... not who you were in the past. Have pen or pencil and paper ready. This is a real test given by the Human Relations Dept. at many of the major corporations today . It helps them get better insight concerning their employees and prospective employees. It's only 10 simple questions, so.. grab a pencil and paper,

When do you feel your best? .
a) In the morning
b) during the afternoon &and early evening
c) late at night

2. You usually walk. .
a) fairly fast, with long steps
b) fairly fast, with little steps
c) less fast head up, looking the world in the face
d) less fast, head down e) very slowly

3. When talking to people you..
a) stand with your arms folded
b) have your hands clasped
c) have one or both your hands on your hips
d) touch or push the person to whom you are talking
e) play with your ear, ! Touch your chin, or smooth your hair

4. When relaxing, you sit with..
a) Your knees bent with your legs neatly side by side
b) your legs crossed
c) your legs stretched out or straight
d) one leg curled under you

5. When something really amuses you, you react with...
a) big appreciated laugh
b) a laugh, but not a loud one
c) a quiet chuckle
d) a sheepish smile

6. When you go to a party or social gath ering you.
a) Make a loud entrance so everyone notices you
b) make a quiet entrance, looking around for someone you know
c) make the quietest entrance, trying to stay unnoticed

7. You're working very hard, concentrating hard, and you're interrupted.......
a) welcome the break
b) feel extremely irritated
c) vary between these two extremes

8. Which of the following colors do you like most?
a) Red or orange
b) black
c) yellow or light blue
d) green
e) dark blue or pu rple
f) white
g) brown or gray

9. When you are in bed at night, in those last few moments before going to sleep you are..
a) stretched out on your back
b) stretched out face down on your stomach
c) on your side, slightly curled
d) with your head on one arm
e) with your head under the covers

10. You often dream that you are...
a) falling
b) fighting or struggling
c) searching for something or somebody
d) flying or floating
e) you usually have dreamless sleep
f) your dreams are always pleasant



POINTS:
1. (a) 2 (b) 4 (c) 6
2. (a) 6 (b) 4 (c) 7 (d) 2 (e) 1
3. (a) 4 (b) 2 (c) 5 (d) 7 (e) 6
4. (a) 4 (b) 6 (c) 2 (d) 1
5. (a) 6 (b) 4 (c) 3 (d) 5 (e) 2
6. (a) 6 (b) 4 (c) 2
7. (a) 6 (b) 2 (c) 4
8. (a) 6 (b) 7 (c) 5 (d) 4 (e) 3 (f) 2 (g) 1
9. (a) 7 (b) 6 (c) 4 (d) 2 (e) 1
10. (a) 4 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) 5 (e) 6 (f) 1


Now add up the total number of points.

OVER 60 POINTS: Others see you as someone they should "handle with care." You're seen as vain, self-centered, and who is extremely dominant. Others may admire you, wishing they could be more like you, but don't always trust you, hesitating to become too deeply involved with you.

51 TO 60 POINTS: Others see you as an exciting, highly volatile, rather impulsive personality; a natura l leader, who's quick to make decisions, though not always the right ones. They see you as bold and adventuresome, someone who will try anything once; someone who takes chances and enjoys an adventure. They enjoy being in your company because of the excitement! You¢re radiate.

41 TO 50 POINTS: Others see you as fresh, lively, charming, amusing, practical, and always interesting; someone who's constantly in the center of attention, but sufficiently well-balanced not to let it go to their head. They also see you as kind, considerate, and understanding; someone who'll always cheer them up and help them out.

31 TO 40 POINTS: Others see you as sensible, cautious, careful &practical. They see you as clever, gifted, or talented, but modest. Not a person who makes friends too quickly or easily, but someone who¢s extremely loyal to friends you do make and who expect the same loyalty in return. Those who really get to know you realize it takes a lot to shake your trust in your friends, but equally that it takes you u a long time to get over if that trust is ever broken.

21 TO 30 POINTS: Your friends see you as painstaking and fussy. They see you as very cautious, extremely careful, a slow and steady plodder. It would! Really surprise them if you ever did something impulsively or on the spur of the moment, expecting you to examine everything car efully from every angle and then, usually decide against it. They think this reaction is caused partly by your careful nature.

UNDER 21 POINTS: People think you are shy, nervous, and indecisive, someone who needs looking after, who always wants someone else to make the decisions &who doesn't want to get involved with anyone or anything! They see you as a worrier who always sees problems that don't exist. So people think you're boring. Only those who know you well know that you aren't.

Cards I've made or received

I've got a few cards to share with you today.

The first one is for my oldest step-grandaughter, Torri. She is getting braces soon and having one of her baby teeth pulled. I feel for her. I wore braces too for TOO long!!! But, so did my son and daughter. Guess it's a right of passage nowadays.

The second card is from my Monday Mailer partner. This is the last of the Bold Bright cards. Isn't it "fabulous"???? Love that pink!

The last card is from my Secret Sister. It uses the Pick a Petal stamp (same as I used in the one for Torri). It is very pretty!

Convention - waaaah

I'm so bummed that I'm not at convention. I've been reading all the posts gals have been doing that actually at Salt Lake City and drooling all over the new stuff!! Think we are going to be in for a lot of spending! Now, just to find that cash.

Here's a taste of some of the new stuff in the catalog - scallop square punch, large big oval punch, curly label punch, new designer paper that is absolutely gorgeous ; all the new stamp sets are DIE CUT !!!!! and the new ribbons are amazing (there's even a 1 1/4" grosgrain ribbon in the New Pink Pirouette colour), amazing new brads, and library clips !!!!

Here's a picture of the new catty and the tote bag & stamps the lucky convention goers received. Just a couple more weeks & I'll have mine.

How old is your brain?

Here's a neat brain test someone sent me. It's pretty interesting. It's supposed to tell you the age of your brain. Not sure about that since mine came back with a 33 but it's fun anyway!!

Procedure of Flash Fabrica Game:
1. Click on 'Start'
2. Wait for 3, 2, 1.(countdown)
3. Memorize the number's position on the screen, then click the circle from the smallest number to the biggest number.
4. At the end of the game, the computer will tell you how old your brain is.
Good luck !!!

http://flashfabrica.com/f_learning/brain/brain.html

Iris Folding

I had fun doing Iris Folding! I haven't done it in a long time and my sister has gotten interested in learning it since it is like quilting for her. I knew I had some Iris Folding supplies somewhere filed away. So, I spent a lot of time looking for a book I knew I had .... somewhere in my room .... about iris folding and it has patterns and papers. Finally, I found it so thought I'd put it to good use. The first time I did iris folding was many years ago and I thought you were supposed to lay your strips of papers on the pattern. I didn't realize you were supposed to cut an open pattern & lay the numbered pattern in the opening so you could see your work! Maybe that was why I haven't done iris folding in a long time!! I found a great website today though if anyone is interested with patterns. Here are my cards. The "2" I used primary colors since it is for a child. I am going to use that one for my grandson's birthday card - he will be 2 in August.

Coupon

Click HERE for this week's Michaels coupon!!

Friends

I just have to reiterate what a great time we had with our friends who were here last weekend from Texas. Her name is Sharon also and we met many years ago when we both worked at the same high school in Texas. She was my kids' Calculus teacher and I worked in the Counseling Office. Our daughters and our sons were in the same grade so we had a lot in common. Our daughters had been trying to get us and our husbands together for several years - they thought we'd be great friends. My daughter won't let us live it down that we didn't become friends until our sons played football together. That was probably about 15 years ago!! Since then, we have gone on skiing vacations together; to Vegas; on a cruise; many trips to Shreveport and New Orleans, plus several years we spent Thanksgiving together at the same dude ranch in south Texas. When we lived in Texas, we usually got together at least once a week for dinner, drinks and fellowship. After we moved away, we continued our friendship. They visited us in Washington and in NC and we have either met them (in New Orleans) or visited with them when we have returned to Texas. They are great about meeting us at the DFW airport when we have longer than an hour lay-over and taking us to get some Mexican food close by before catching our next flight!! Gotta have that Mexican fix .... we sure miss it!

On Saturday, before the surprise party, we went to Stampers Alley and made two Christmas cards for the final day of Christmas in July. Sharon is not a real crafty gal, but she was a good sport about going and I think enjoyed herself and was proud of the cards she made. Her hubby mentioned to her later that she might enjoy getting into card making. He obviously did not take a close look at my stamp room and figure up the expense!!! (or talk about it to my DH!!) As much as I love it, it is not a cheap hobby if you are addicted!!

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.