Monday, January 26, 2009

Monday, Monday....














The camera is possessed---(so is Blogger but I won't go there right now...) by what I am not sure---but what a mess! At least I did get one or two pictures! The "Celebrate/You're Invited/Save the Date" card...is for an order I received. My customer originally told me that she needed "about 30..." The deadline being they had to be in the mail this week...I talked to her on Friday and she said, "Oh-we need about 80..." Well! That certainly was a SURPRISE! Of course I didn't like the background paper I had--so Theresa and I traipsed all over Wilmington Sat. in the rain---and I never found the green I wanted-found the great flower punch I used tho! So yesterday was mass production and I am proud to say I am at least half-way through. The pic that didn't come out...was my "assistant"-INKY-checking out my work! He's improving--and acting like himself again. Thank you all for the prayers. I had tears in my eyes as I was moving him off the photo-shoot area on the worktable-it's been so long since I had to do that...

Back to stamping: The cute little circle with the "save the date" is from a Close to My Heart set---and it comes with all kinds of sayings to use---congratulations-it's a boy/girl, you're invited, to a party...and many more. It also gives you the months and numbers you can use in the center to put in a date. Way cool--check it out on pg. 79 of the Spring catalog-it's called Express Postage Set.

Speaking of pets...our sometimes neighbors called last week and said that they had to put their beloved Lab, Winston, down. As with most labs, hip issues got the better of him. We will miss Winston--as I know they will-so I made a card to send. The inside says, " May God's love heal your sorrow and His peace replace your heartache with warm and loving memories". One of my pet peeves (no pun intended)--is when you see these great cards in magazines...but they don't tell you or show you what's on the inside! Grrrr..

Well, time for breakfast with my beloved, and then off to (real) work I go. Hope you have a great day and until next time, happy stamping and scrapping. Blessings, Sharon

Monday, January 12, 2009

A Few of My Favorite Things...

Anybody that knows me knows that POP-DOTS top the list! I love pop-dots! I once took a class and thought, "gee, this really needs pop-dots added to it to make it even better"---and so I did...page after page...and when I finished the book---it wouldn't close! Lesson learned: too many pop-dots..can SOMETIMES...be a bad thing?! Lol.
Next to pop-dots, I would have to say SLIDE MOUNTS are a favorite of mine to use in projects. They make such nice little "frames" for things. I used so many that I finally bought the large slide-mount die so I could cut my own! Pricey but worth it. I have a "stash" of small ones (THE STAMP QUEEN graciously lets me use her small die cut when I am in Winston-Salem and need to replenish my supply...) but then I found this great set of SLIDE MOUNT STAMPS* from Close to My Heart!!! I played with them for the first time this past Saturday---and whooo-wee...you will see them cropping up (and popping up!) in a lot of my projects! I needed to make a card for our new --well, what do you call the parents of your son's girlfriend?! Raymond proposed to Meredith before Christmas and she said yes! So we have a wedding coming up in the spring of 2010--As (step) mother of the groom I was supposed to contact her parents first-opps! Anyway-I needed a card and had new stamps to play with...so this is what I came up with. Since the stamps are clear...you can actually see where you are stamping and placement of the image in the slide mount is a snap! There are large and small slide mounts in the set as well as different designs on them and words to fill them. Of course you can always cut out the center and add a photo! The possibilities are endless!

CATS are another favorite thing and again, any of you who know me know that I have been struggling to find answers to Inky's health issues. It seems we've hit upon the right vet (Dr. Travis at River Road Animal Hospital, Southport, NC) and he is on his way to recovery once again. We've not pinpointed the issue---but she is determined and I feel most comfortable with her and her skills. Answered prayer for sure. THANK YOU to all of you who have/are praying, and have listened to me endlessly fret about him. He is such a sweetheart and my "baby".

Speaking of SWEETHEARTS...don't forget VALENTINE'S DAY is right around the corner! Get that card stamped NOW so you don't miss it! I have to confess-I've been caught more than once stamping and scrapping minutes and seconds before Brook came home when I've put it off! My "groupies" will be well-prepared after Friday's class (and gee, we'll be doing a card with BOTH pop-dots and slide mounts : ) and will have Valentines for friends and loved ones alike! I will post what the group does on Friday---as long as the camera cooperates!


Well, one must go to work to support one's habit...so, until next time...happy stamping and scrapping! Blessings, Sharon

*Unfortunately, this set was discontinued in 2008! : ( boo hiss....but...you can buy slide mounts---and cover them or stamp on them-or get a die cut for a cutting machine and cut your own...give them a try in a project...If you're in my group I will gladly give you a few to play with---or stamp a few to use-or---try ebay-that's where I found my set!

Saturday, January 3, 2009

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Where or where did 2008 go? It seemed like only yesterday I was in the midst of wedding preparations! It really did fly by! I hope and pray that 2009 will be blessed, happy and healthy for everyone! Did you manage to stay up until Midnight on NYE? Brook was in VA with Bad Cat, I was home alone with Inky and Poppa Cat. I confess-we crashed before midnight-woke to the sound of fireworks at 12:15, looked at one another and went back to sleep! Lol. What PARTY ANIMALS we were! Lol!

So-did anyone make any RESOULUTIONS for 2009? I did-I am going the work on getting HEALTHY-myself and this poor sick Inky whose just gone through yet another issue/episode. And I've got to say something about that here-if you have a doctor-or, in this case, a vet, who refuses to LISTEN, you've tried the "same old, same old" and its just not working, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE...don't hesitate to get a second or even third opinion. Just because they are doctors doesn't mean that they (individually) have all the answers. End of soapbox. My other resolution is MORE TIME TO STAMP AND SCRAP. I am going to do an album of my goddaughter, Maren, as well as a book of all the events of 2009. That, and finish the stack of projects in the "to be finished" box! Lol. I have some new routines in place that will help head me toward the craft room more often. A happy Momma is one whose had a few minutes for herself (sounding like Flylady now! Check out her site if you haven't--a great way to start the year! Her motto for 2009 is "Peace of mind in 2009" or something to that effect-and PEACE is something we could ALL use more of!

I am working on creating the VALENTINES (along with a variation on them-your welcome, Mary Cobb!) for our January class, the demo book for our February class...so some surprises are coming your way.
Again, may 2009 be blessed, happy & healthy for you and yours. Until next time, happy stamping & scrapping! Blessings, Sharon