Queen's Sketch Challenge

Today is the sketch challenge for the Stamping Queens.  I really thought I would make the card this week instead of doing it in My Digital Studio, but I am still trying to sort out my craft room and it is still a MESS!  I had planned on working on it uninterrupted all day today but that didn't happen.  After donny left early this morning to go shooting with the guys, I fell back into a deep sleep.  The phone woke me up (at 9 am!) with a plea that I was needed at the Soup Kitchen.  So I went into overdrive and got dressed, grabbed some tea and coffee and headed to the Mooresville Soup Kitchen to work.

I think this card goes along with everyone's resolutions for 2012 - or at least mine.  Get organized, stay that way and take it Day by Day .... 24 hours, 52 weeks and 365 days!!  Think you can do it?  I hope I can.  This card uses a new FREE download offered to Facebook friends of Stampin' Up called Day in the Life

Check out the other Stamping Queens creations HERE.

Every year, I make calendars for my friends and family.  Sonny makes calendar stands for me to hang the calendars on.  I'll post a picture of the stands later in the week.  If you are interested in buying one, I have a few extras.  Here are a couple of months I made using My Digital Studio.   It made making them so easy!!

Getting Organized is a Messy Business!

 Well, today was not such a great day for us Steeler fans.  Our football season is over.  We played Denver today (think, Tim Tebow praying) for the wildcard playoff game and lost in overtime.  The Steelers really didn't deserve to win considering the way they played today.  I really didn't think we'd go very far in the playoffs this season but was sure hoping we'd get at least one more game.  So, I have packed up all my Steeler gear until next year.  Now I will have to cheer on another team I suppose.

I guess now I will have more time to clean out my stamp room instead of watching football.  I started yesterday and it is so over-whelming, I find myself standing in the room and scratching my head!  Sonny keeps poking his head in and laughing at me.  He has offered to get his shovel for me so I can shovel a path (or maybe shovel some stuff in the garbage!)  I have filled up 2 garbage bags though!  It's hard to tell but I have made a little progress.  But I have a long way to go!  I can't even see my desk it is so covered with stuff.  Here are a few pictures I took tonight.  Hopefully, next week this time, I can post some pictures that look much better!

This is my desk!

I even have things stacked in the hall!

I can barely get to my chair much less find the tv controller!

I do have a card to share with you that I did last week before I started the reorganizing!  It uses goodies from the Occasions Mini Catalog - the stamp, Take It to Heart, pleated satin ribbon, some Twitterpated DSP and the Adorning Accents Embossing Folder (pg 7).

I stamped the heart with White ink and embossed it.  I love this stamp!

Hope your week is a good one!

2012 CALENDAR FOR YOU

Well, I am finally home and hope to get back to a more regular schedule with regards to my blog!  I know I have been very sporadic lately, but hopefully that will change once I get unpacked and my life gets back to normal ... whatever normal is!!

It is time for the 2012 OCCASIONS MINI CATALOG!!  You can click on the catalog in the side bar to see all the great products.  I will be posting some samples real soon.  Contact me to place an order OR you can order from my website HERE. 

I have made this calendar for you using My Digital Studio.  Enjoy!!

First Footing

HAPPY 2012! 

Hope you are enjoying the first day of 2012 and had fun last night welcoming in the new year.  We didn't do a lot of celebrating last night.  We went out to dinner and I had entirely too much to eat (what else is new?).  Then we came back to the house and I took a short nap before we went to a 10:30 movie showing of The Girl With the Dragon Tatoo.  It was very good - very graphic in a lot of scenes but very entertaining.  A llittle trivia for you -  The main character, Rooney Mara, is the great-granddaughter of Art Rooney who is the owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers

Have you ever heard of this custom for New Year's?  First Footing?  It is the custom of being the first to cross the threshold of a home in the early hours of New Year's Day.  It was so popular in England and Scotland during the 19th century that the streets were often more crowded between midnight and one o'clock in the morning than they would normally be at midday. If the "First Foot," traditionally a man, was to bring the family luck, he had to arrive with his arms full of cakes, bread, and cheese for everyone to share. He should be dark-haired, not fair, and must not have flat feet. The dark-haired man is supposed to be the bearer of good luck and prosperity.  Today the custom may still be observed in Britain and in scattered areas of the United States.

Actually, several years ago, we were at a New Year's Eve party with mostly people from England.  They made Sonny put on a kilt and go outside with a piece of coal and a drink in his hand.  He then rang the bell and we welcomed him inside.  Don't remember if that was a lucky year for us or not!!

What guest stepped over your threshold first?

Good luck in 2012!

Our Newest Addition .... Meet Bogart!

We have a new addition to our family! Bogart!! Ashley adopted a 6 month old kitten Wednesday from a local No Kill Shelter.  He is soooo cute!  We got home with him around 5 p.m. and he has been exploring the house ever since - only taking a couple of short cat naps.  We thought a new kitten would be pretty hesitant and we would need to put him in a room alone until he got used to us and the new home.  But, he is not shy at all and very lovable.  Right now, he is curled up right next to Sonny .... who doesn't care for cats!  How is it that cats always know who in the crowd doesn't like them?  Although, we think Sonny protests too much.  Ashley's last cat, Taco, always curled up in Sonny's lap and we caught him petting the cat and talking to him!  

Bogart playing with my shoelace

Isn't he pretty?

A happy girl and her cat!

Sketch Challenge and stuff!

Today is Wednesday .... I think!  So, it is time for the Stamping Queens Sketch Challenge.  I took time on Sunday while we were watching football to log onto My Digital Studio and create a card for the sketch.  It's a fun birthday card.  Which reminds me .... my baby brother turns 50 (!!) next week and I need to make a card for him.  Ok - back to the subject .... Stamping Queens Sketch.  Check out the other Queens take on the sketch this week HERE and to see the sketch this week.

Isn't it funny how when you're on vacation, you just lose all track of the days and the time!  Ashley has been working half days this week (she was off last Friday and Monday) and I have been taking her to work so we could have her car.  Yesterday, she told me she would probably work until 1 or 2:00.  When I came back after dropping her off, I got back in bed for about 30 minutes.  Then I got up and ate breakfast and got on the computer - how I can waste time!  When she called me to pick her up, I said "I thought you were working late today" to which she replied, Mom, it's 1:00!  I had not even gotten dressed!!  How time flies when you're doing nothing!!!  When we picked her up, we went inside the hospital to see her office.  Sonny had never even been on the base before and neither of us had been in the hospital.  It is really nice.  A new portion was added on while she was deployed and that is where her office and the pediatric clinic is.  Then we went over to the PX and to a Medical Museum on base. 

I have not made any cards or done any of my calendars while I have been here.  We have been on the go since we got here.  The day after we arrived, our good friends, Don and Sharon, who live in Dallas arrived.  One of Sharon's best friends and a college roommate lost her battle with cancer and they were in town for the funeral.  So, we met them at their hotel and had dinner and drinks.  It was great to see then even under the circumstances. 

I hope your holidays are continuing to be merry and you are getting ready to welcome 2012!!

Merry Christmas!

Hope you are enjoying a great Christmas and that Santa was good to you!!

Happy Christmas Eve

I'm in San Antonio now enjoying the holidays with Ashley.  We have been on the go ever since we got here Tuesday night.  Our first stop after dropping our luggage off was a Mexican restaurant .... of course!   On Wednesday, Ashley and I got our hair cut and then did a little shopping.  Some of our best friends from Dallas were in town for a funeral so we met them at their hotel for dinner.  It was great to see then - just too bad about the circumstances.  Ashley had to work on Thursday so I took her in and then went out to buy her Christmas presents.  I waited until I got here to buy her stuff so I wouldn't have to bring everything down in my suitcase.  Thursday was her birthday so we took her out for dinner when she got off work.  She was off Friday and will be off on Monday too.  On Friday, we took turns shopping - Sonny went with her in the morning so she could help him get things for me and she and I went out after lunch.  The traffic was horrendous at all the stores but what should you expect????

I think I already mentioned that we had the family Christmas before we left.  Marianne made us all the cutest thing!  It's a Redneck Wine Glass!

Aren't they cute?  The bottom is a candle holder and she hot glued the Mason Jars to them!  She made them for the whole family.

Today has been spent watching football and doing a little baking for tomorrow.  A friend of Ashley's who is in the Air Force came over for the day.  I was making the egg casserole for tomorrow and couldn't find the eggs!  We had gone to the grocery store yesterday and I know we had bought them and that they were in the car .... somewhere!!  Ashley and I looked everywhere.   For some reason, I decided to check the closet in the bedroom because I had brought some packages in along with the groceries that I was hiding in the closet.  Well, guess where the eggs were!!  Doesn't everyone store their eggs on the floor of their bedroom closet????  Crazy, huh??

We'll be going to church later tonight and then awaiting the arrival of Santa Claus!!  I hope you have a safe and wonderful Christmas.

We had our family Christmas early - last Saturday night at Marianne's home.  As you are reading this, I am in Texas which is why we celebrated early.  These are some of the family pictures that I took.



Mom and Derek, Marianne's oldest son



Harrison - Marianne's youngest son

Jacob and Lexi - my brother, Lee's kids

My brother, Lee and his wife, Dina

Marianne's husband, Greg

My sweetie

Harrison - isn't she /he cute????

The 3 sisters - as seen through the smoke!  We were outside sitting around the fire pit eating smores!!

Christmas Tags ... Two Tags Die

These are some Christmas tags and gift cards that I made when I was trying to decide the projects for my club to make. 



This tag uses the Stitched Stocking stamp set and punch.



This uses the stocking die and the Big Shot.  I used Very Vanilla cardstock and brayered Crumb Cake onto my Snowflake Embossing Folder before running it through the Big Shot.  I love the vintage look of the stocking!



This started out to be an ice skate.  But since I've never even gone skating, I changed it to a vintage shoe.



A Top Note gift card holder just uses retired DSP, corduroy button (retired) and retired DSP.

This was actually my favorite!  I stamped the Crumb Cake Tag with the tree from Season of Friendship and added the little birds, snowflakes and snow on the bottom.

This tag uses the folded Christmas tree using glitter paper.  I don't remember which blog I got the template from but it has been on a lot of sites.

This tag uses the metal flashing for the oval.  I ran it through the Big Shot using an embossing folder.  The white to/from piece is punched with the large Oval Punch and glued in.