More Swap Pictures

I've gotten some comments on these swaps.  Yes, I agree .... they are super!!  If you are a SU demonstrator and are interested in joining the swaps, let me know and I'll put you in touch with the "Swap Nazi" as we like to call her!!  It is actually Jami Sibley, who is an alumni of the Splitcoast Dirty Dozen!!

Remember ... if you can't see all of the cards, click on them to open them in a larger window.

The first card is MINE!!  I had to use Rub-On's and these are from Many Occasions.  The stamp set is Crazy for Cupcakes.

Next is from Donna Baker using the felt fusion flower with a flower brad.  The stamp sets are Baroque Motifs and Sincere Salutations.

Card #3 is by Debra Daam using the eyelet punch and Parisian Breeze DSP (love it!).  The stamp set is Le Jardin Botanique.

The first card is by Crystal Spencer using Thoughts & Prayers and the Sanded Background.  She also used a button from Button Latte and the Top Note Die and faux stitching.

Card #2 is by Lorien Clark and uses Cheep Talk stamp set.  She used Good Morning Sunshine DSP with the Top Note Die and a Corduroy Button.

These cards are from a swap with another group (No More Bad Swaps).

Card #1 is from Ann Clemmer and uses Trendy Trees & Good Friend.  She used the Top Note Die and a Texturz Plate.

Card #2 does not have a name or a recipe.

Card #3 .... isn't it gorgeous!  It is by Barbara Welch and uses Fifth Avenue Floral.  The flower is cut in two pieces and the top part is mounted on the bottom half with a dimensional.

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Swap Cards (part 1)

I just got back some swap cards. I was in 3 swaps and I really got some great cards.

Here's a few of them (you'll need to click on them to see all 3):

1st card by Leann Yoho. She used Wonderful Watercolors and En Francais. Love the little button (from SU's Button Bouquet)

2nd card by Tandra Boyer. She used 5th Avenue Floral with the Top Note die, Urban Oasis DSP and the Sweet Stem Embosslit.

3rd card by Crystal Spencer. She is one of my favorite swappers. Her work is always excellent! She used Three Little Words with the Bella Rose DSP and the new eyelet punch.

1st card is by Michelle Fischer. She used Bird on a Branch with the Urban Oasis paper and the Top Note Die.

The next card is MINE!! I had to use the color combo from page 10-11 (Retro Fresh) ... not my favorite combo!! I used Garden Greetings and the Embosslit leaves. I used the texture plate on the background.

The 3rd card is by Amy Sings. She used Cheep Talk with the Good Morning Sunshine DSP and some Fine Supernova Glitter.

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Final Three for American Idol

• Jessie - Tell Me Something Good: I love this song! Judges comments: Randy didn't think she was great but the other judges thought she had a lot of soul and tenacity.
• Matt Giraud - Who's Loving You: Who's Loving You: Judges thought he was amazing and picked the perfect song. So, I think he'll make it
• Megan - Cherry Tree: Simon thinks she's quicky and current which is what they are looking for. Think she'll get the nod from the judges.
• Von Smith - Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Thing: Nope - don't think he'll make it. He was a little boring this time.
• Jasmine - Reflections: Randy - song too big, but great bright spots; Kara - Voice came out of nowhere; Paula - look lovely & picked beautiful song - wonderful job; Simon - not giving her enough credit; very brave song choice but huge improvement of what she did before - put herself back in the competition. Think she'll make it.
• Ricky from Elizabeth City - Superstition: Can sing his butt off ... or so says Kara. He loosened up and sounded great! Simon and Randy weren't impressed.
• Tatiana from Puerto Rico - Saving All My Love for You: She is just crazy!! If she laughs one more time, I'm going to scream!! She has a powerful voice and can definitely sing. She sang this song 3 times before which did not impress the judges. Think she dug her own grave on this one. The judges think this should be called "The Adventures of Tatiana." Maybe they won't vote her through.
• Anoop - My Perogitive: Not the best singer, but popular with the people and he has personality. The audience went wild over him. I wasn't really impressed and he was one of my favorites before. Well, now I'm perplexed! I think he's a judge favorite also!

OK - here are the judges choices:

• Megan
• Jasmine

OH NO .... the show must have gone over a few minutes and my DVR did not catch the end!! This is the pits! I have to go to another site now and find out the last winner.

Well looks like it'll be a Lucky 13!!! They picked Matt and Anoop!!!

My Stampin' Space

Sunday .... before the big snow hit, Sonny and I took a drive into Charlotte to the new IKEA.  What a great way to burn a few hours!  I didn't purchase much - a rail for my punches, CD boxes, long shoehorn for Sonny & Mom (for $1!!) and the most delicious cookies!!!  I don't know how many were in the box - a lot - but we've eaten them all in 3 days!  When we got home Sunday, neither of us felt like eating any dinner because we'd eaten so many cookies!  (My daughter will have a laugh over that.)  They had chocolate in the middle of thin, really crispy oatmeal type cookies.  Yummm!!

On Monday, while looking out the window at the snow, I set about putting up my new punch rails.  I had bought a magnetic knife rack last year at IKEA for my punches and really liked it, so I wanted more.  I ended up buying a round rail (in the kitchen section - I think it's for holding towels) and I like it even better.  Now, I just need to go back and buy another one. 

The bulletin board beside it holds a few brass stencils, some patterns, my calendar, and other "essential" items! 

This is my stamp holder that sits on my desk with my jars of ribbon on top.  I have a tag on each one so I can sort the bits of ribbon by color.  Sonny made my stamp and refill ink holder several years ago and I love it!

This wicker shelf unit was used many years ago in a bathroom.  Never throw things away.  You never know when you can use them in the future!!  I used to have it right next to my desk, but I preferred the punches to hang there, so I moved the shelf across the room.  I have my buttons; glitter, embossing powder, Pretties kit, SU craft spots, and other stuff on it.

And here are my stamp sets.  On the white shelf are my SU stamps in loose alpha order (A-D on top shelf, etc.) and by box size with background stamps on top.  Next to it on my Target wire cubes are my clear stamps on the top shelf in the CD boxes.  On the next two shelves are my wooden stamps that are non-SU.  They are in clear plastic boxes that are numbered.  I have a notebook that I have stamped everything in so I can find which box they are in when I need them. The fourth shelf holds my letter sets - both SU & non.  Then the basket on the bottom has loose stamps, rubber bands, etc.

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American Idol night and personal info

I've spent most of today with my mom. Her only remaining living relative, her brother, died in his sleep last night. My sister called me this a.m. and I went over to Mom's house and we broke the news to her together. Hospice was called in last week and luckily, Mom went to see him last Wednesday. She was upset today though of course and kept saying she had planned on making him his favorite cookies this week. He was 87 and has been bedridden for about a year. The funeral will be on Friday.

So, Sonny and I sat down to watch American Idol tonight. We usually wait until it is on about 1/2 hour so we can fast forward through the commercials. We only got to hear one singer when our power went out!!!! Oh No!! It was out for about 1/2 hour and when it came back on, we were able to hear singers 1-6. The electicity being out kept it from taping singers 7-9 but we picked back up with singers 10-12!! I heard them all sing at the end (the little snippets they do) and I checked another internet site to see what she had to say about all the singers. So ....my synopsis below is partly from me and partly from what I gleamed elsewhere. I think I may have missed the ones who will win though. I didn't vote tonight since I wasn't sure about all of them.

• Von Smith - You're All I Need to Get By: I thought he started the show off great. Simon says he reminds him of Clay Aiken and that he dressed appalling! But, overall, the judges liked him. I did too.
• Taylor Vaifanua - If I Got You by Alicia Keyes: She's got a great voice but was really kinda boring. The judges thought so too and wished she had put more of her personality into it.
• Alex Wagner-Trugman - That's Why They Call It The Blues by Sir Elton: This guys is pretty dorky (and his Dad is a lot dorky!!) Paula thought he was a true showman; Simon thought it was just stupid; and Randy said he was "buck wild!" At least he sang an upbeat song but he was actually growling the words!! Ummmm, I don't think so!
• Arianna Afsar - Winner Takes It All by Abba: This girl is sooo cute - as the judges have said "she's cute as a button" which she doesn't want to be remembered by! I was really hoping more for her but the song was just too much for her. She definitely can sing though. We'll probably see her again - but not this year.
• Ju'not Joyner - Hey There Delilah: I love this song and he wasn't bad. He put his own touch to it. But again, another slow song. I think they get better reviews when they sing more upbeat songs. This guy has a darling little boy which helped him get to this point. I don't think he'll get voted in though.
• Kristen McNamera - Tracy Chapman song: I wasn't so into her when our power went out.

The itallic part of this next segment was taken from another site. Coments at the end are my take on the little bit I heard at the end of the show:

• Nathaniel Marshall — I Would Do Anything For Love by Meatloaf. Hope this guy doesn’t ruin it for me forever. Omigosh. I can’t stomach it. Okay, so you know what, he can actually sing. I can’t help but feel like I’m in a karaoke bar though. I love Simon. “Excruciating.” “Olivia Newton John headband.” Kara nailed it — he’d make a great karaoke buddy. That’s Nate. American Idol — notsomuch. I sure wish I'd heard this guy!! He's an interesting character to say the least!! He was very dramatic in Hollywood.
• Felicia Barton — No One: I like this chick. Good song choice. Finally someone tonight who is relevant. My main criticism is that you don’t really get a sense of her range with this song. I’d like to see her back next week.
• Scott MacIntyre — Mandolin Rain: This guy is SUPER talented. Top 5. For sure. Kara’s right; the imperfections didn’t matter because his passion is undeniable. I can’t wait to see him with the piano. This guy is blind!! I have been a fan of his from the "get-go" and think he will go far!

Now our power came back on!!

• Kendall Beard - This One's for the Girls: I like country and Martina is one of Sonny's favorites, so this one was a hit for us. She was a little shrilly toward the end which the judges commented on, but on a whole, they like her. Simon is definately not a country liker so he was not as sold as the others.
• Jorge Nunez - Don't Let the Sun Go Down: This guy has gone above and beyond the call of duty. He is from Puerto Rico and has an accent big time, but had a linquist he has been working with to make his English more understandable. He really sounded great! I'm not sure about him. He was crying at the end he was so emotional and said when he got that emotional, he couldn't think in English!!
• Lil Rounds - a Mary J Bilge song: She was great! The judges loved her and so did I. She has 3 children at home so this would be a big deal for her.

Ok - IF I had voted - I would have voted for: Von, Taylor, Scott; Jorge and Lil Rounds; Kendall

I think these will get through: Lil Rounds, Scott MacIntyre; Jorge Or Kendall

Three Little Words

I recently got this stamp set ... mainly because it was inexpensive ($13.95) and I thought I could use those three little words a lot. The verses are:

• you, you, you
• i miss you
• thanks so much
• i love you
• so very sorry
• thinking of you

(you can click on the pictures to view it all)

I used my Nestabilities for the ovals and colored the flowers and the "T" with my Copics. Don't you just love that ribbon??? I found it at Michaels a couple of weeks ago. It's hard to tell, but I used my Big Shot to emboss the white piece; then used my SU scallop punch for the edge. Those are three little buttons up in the corner. You'll probably be noticing a lot of buttons on my cards! I sorted through all my buttons the other day and put them in little jars that Margaret had brought me. Well, let me tell you, I definitely have some buttons!!! I think I've been collecting them for a long time. I used to use them much more than I do now.

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