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WOW!

It's like Christmas here today!

I came home on this dreary wet day

and found my mailbox

wide open and stuffed full...

not happy about the "wide open" part

as the box contained a couple of parcels

that anyone driving down the road

could have carried off.

Thankfully

they didn't!

 

 

So-

the next conundrum was--

which parcel to open first!

I went for the feet

and opened the box from

Herrington first.

You see

we live at the beach

and I am a barefoot kind of gal.

All. the. time.

The shoes

are the first things to come off

when I get home anywhere that they can.

As a result I have tough soles

and in winter

dry, extremely thick calluses

that crack and are very sore.

I also hate socks

but I do wear pantyhose

and the calluses snag and tear them terribly.

But NOT ANYMORE!

 I ordered this

from Herrington.

It is well, for lack of a better description,

a battery operated sander for your feet!

That little blue roller (it was all blue!)

rotates and well...sands....the calluses right off.

No cutting-no rough edges like I have after a pumice stone

or hand-held "scraper".

This little gem leaves your feet

as soft and smooth as a baby's bottom.

And I speak from experience!
I ripped that package open

jammed in two batteries

and went to work right here at my desk!

The next pic is not for the faint of heart...

EWWWWWW!

Here's the pile of dead skin that gadget sanded off.

AHHHHHH!!!!

The color is wonky as I had to make it darker for it to show up.

The only way it could do any better-

is to have someone else do it for you...

hello, honey?  you'll be home at what time?

WINK. WINK!

 

And while I am talking about Herrington

I will plug their Contigo Travel Mug

 

I have tried A LOT of travel coffee mugs.

I have thrown out a lot of shirts with coffee stains

from said coffee mugs that leaked.

NOT THIS BABY!

Last week

I filled it up-threw it into the pocket of my purse

raced to work

stuffed said purse ON IT'S SIDE in my desk drawer

and 45 minutes later

remembered the mug was in the purse!

UH-OH!

But I will have you know

NOT ONE DROP leaked out!

You want to sip--

you push that little button.

You let the button go-

and that sucker SEALS!

It keeps the coffee hot, too!

 

So--check out Herrington.

I've had nothing but awesome service and products from them.

 

Ok-so this is a CRAFT BLOG

so let's get onto some crafting!

I don't have a lot of Cricut cartridges

but

I do have a small collection.

While the boxes are nice-they do take up a fair amount

of room.

And those cartridges are a tight fit into the little storage slot

and I am always afraid I will break something in the cartridge

taking it in and out.

So I checked out all the items online

for Cricut storage.

Of course what I wanted---was out of stock.

EVERYWHERE.

I did manage after a month or two

to find one on eBay.

And I got it.

And it came today.

And I am IN LOVE with it, too!

Each long pocket

holds two sets of books & key pads

Each short pocket at the end of each long pocket

holds two cartridges.

I have not done it yet but

there's a little clear pocket on the front

of each long pocket

for you to put a label in!



This holds a total of 12 cartridges.

I have this one almost full.

So I may be on the look out for another.

It keeps it simple and works the best for me

I do not want to waste time fumbling through 20+ cartridges and pads.

Keep It Simple, Sharon is my mantra.

And for me---THIS IS SIMPLE!

And I simply LOVE IT.

I know-I said that already.

Oh-and on the outside edge---

there's also another clear pocket for a label!

No missing what's what.

 

That's all for today!

I am off to put my pampered feet up

right after I label my cartridges

and maybe have another cup of coffee as well!

 

Until next time,

happy stamping and scrapping!

Blessings,



The Raptor!

Just a quick post---

I will share more details later!

 

This was my goddaughters Christmas present

from my husband and I

that just arrived!

 

I used

Close to My Heart Flip Flaps

to create the "present" aspect of this---

the pages open just like a present would

and then the dinosaurs

POP-UP! 

 

Way too cool

if I do say so myself!

I got this idea in my head

over last week-end

and just now got it put together---

but it was worth the wait!

Chantilly Lace....

and that's all of those song lyrics I remember!

Lol!

After the last couple of weeks

it's a wonder if I know my own name!

Sick Momma Me-a

sick cats

(tomorrow I get to make 2 vet runs

with 2 different cats---oh joy!)

it's not been fun.

 

BUT...

I did something I rarely do.

In the new Close to My Heart Catalog

I fell in love

with the Chantilly paper line

and it's embellishments.

And a layout that was in the catalog

page 19 to be exact.

You can view the catalog by clicking here

So I had ordered the supplies

and drooled and dreamed

until finally

between coughing fits

I found a few minutes here

and a few minutes there

and created not one page but two.

Both of these were "cased"

(translate: not my original ideas)

although I did change them up a bit.

Here's the first page before I added pictures:

 

And here's the second page and the changed up first page

after adding photos:

I had to move that oval embellishment on the far right

and remove the "friends" after I added my photo---

the embellishment would have been right over my goddaughter's face

it looked "unbalanced" if I put it at the top-

so my only other option was to CAREFULLY

remove the popped-up "friends" and place it there at the bottom.

A word to the wise:

do not permanently attach embellishments before you put

your photos down!

You can always leave them off and add them after or,

if you really want to add them, slip a piece of waxed paper

between the sticky on the embellishment and where it overlaps

that way you can pull it out and tack it down after adding your photo!

 

The left-side page was "cased" from the CTMH bulletin board.

I used a retired stamp set that I think was called

"Mrs. Scrapbooker"

along with the *NEW* Frame Flair stamp set (p. 19 also)

to make this cute little embellishment

Yes, the frame is popped up

with a piece of "glass" (transparency!) added to it!

 

I think part of the reason I may have been so drawn

to these papers and layout

is that I knew exactly what photos I wanted to use.

I simply printed out my journaling on vellum

and overlaid it on the dp blocks.

I even managed to figure out how to

print my journaling on cardstock and then

line it up to cut out the shape from the

Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge.

I simply printed, cut and then stamped!

My friend "Buzz" and Bad Cat were having a serious conversation about something!

I think "Buzz" may have been trying to coax him to give up the

groupie project that night and he wouldn't talk-

no treats? no talk!

 

BC is the one who goes to the vet tomorrow afternoon.

He's the BEST cat at the vets...

for us he's finicky and foul when it comes to health care

and we're afraid that he, like Poppa Cat, may be diabetic.

Dear God I hope not!

 

Well, tonight is our Groupie Night.

So off to pack my craft bag

feed and care for kitties

and then I am off for a night of fun.

I'll probably have no voice by the time it's over

but who cares!



Until next time,

happy stamping and scrapping!

Blessings,

Catch (cough---cough--choke) Up...

Whatever this respiratory bug is

that's going around...

I sure wish

it would

GET GOING

and GO ELSEWHERE!

I've hosted you long enough

(almost an entire week...)

time to move on!

 

 It's been a challenging couple of weeks at that.

 

Two weeks ago

I took our Poppa Cat to the vet

thinking he had a respiratory thing going on

as he kept loosing his "meow" off and on.

Turns out

that's one of the symptoms of

diabetes in a cat.

Who knew?

Now we do.

And yep, it's a lot like in people---

change the diet,

stricter eating/medication schedule

monitor blood sugar counts

and two insulin injections per day

preferably before meals.

Which means

before Momma has coffee!

It has been a real challenge.

Thank goodness

even though he is a holy terror at the vet's office

he is a real doll baby at home.

We're still purr-fecting

how to get him to hold still the best

for his injections

(he's Poppa's favorite so it's hard for him

to make him stay still...)

but so far

we've gotten all the shots in him

and no one hurt in the process!

 

Add to that

the fact that Momma probably should go to

her vet-er, doctor.

I have spent the entire week

with the exception of one half-day

in bed.

Last night and today

at least the cough has been productive

(sorry-TMI, I know).

I am taking that as a sign

that this bug is on it's way out.

Can't be soon enough to suit me!

 

I did manage a quick Valentine card--

this is a puzzle cut from the

Close to My Heart Artiste cartridge

Since I never felt well enough to make a special one

for hubby

I used this one instead.

(He was happy and none the wiser!

I won't tell if you don't!)

 

I loved this layout in the

new Spring/Summer CTMH catalog

and decided we'll recreate it for

our scrapbooking group next month.

It uses the Chantilly papers

(which I think would make an adorable spring banner!)

and fabric (note the ruffle!)

with the cute crocheted trimmed zipper!

I am not sure if the sample in the catalog

used actual stitching around the borders

but I "cheated" and, since CTMH cardstock

has a nice white core

I simply made score lines and then sanded them

to expose the white.

I really like this layout.

I will have to find photos to fill it

and repost it.

For now, I think a hot shower

and more coffee's what the dr. ordered for me--

and a nap.

Definitely a nap.

 

Until next time,

happy stamping and scrapping!

Blessings,

 

 



Whoooos Your Valentine/You've Got Mail!

So---

I had some time to play with my Cricut this afternoon

and knowing I will be needing

20-30 little somethings

for little someones

(preschool)

I began thumbing through the

Close to My Heart

Artiste Cricut Cartridge booklet

and decided that

little mailboxes

would by just the thing

to hold the Hershey Kisses I got!

 

Here's what I came up with...

Just big enough to hold three Hershey Kisses!

(maybe four-not sure-ate it instead!)

 

If you want to create this cute little treat

cut your mailbox (and all parts)

at 1 1/2".

To save you from saying

lots of dirty words wordy durds...

The easiest way to add that

red border strip

on to those insy tinsy scallops

is to run tape on the scalloped portion

and then attach the red strip,

rolling off any excess tape as you go.

I do not do well with wet glue.

Low temp glue was bumpy and dried too fast.

Regular glue took too long to dry...

and that Liquid Glass stuff was everywhere and wet and sticky and...

This is by far the worst part of the entire project (for me)!

MANY hit the trash can

before I hit on the right combination for me!

 

The stamp set I used

was from
WHOOOS Your Valentine

another great CTMH product.

Used Ruby cardstock and ink.

I've earned a rum drink after that!

Only another 29 to go!

 

Until next time,

happy stamping and scrapping!

Just the Ticket...!

So a co-worker came to me the other day

and said

it was less than two weeks and counting

until the baby shower for her

daughter-in-law...

could I please help her make

some shower favors...?

After a deep breath-

I asked her if she had any ideas

She said she had spent hours on Pintrest

and I was worried-

but she surprised me and she kept it simple!

"I like the little sour cream type favors..."

was music to my ears!

 

Did they know

if it was a boy or girl.

Boy.

Oh boy--here's where the going is going to get tough

Again, I was surprised.

E-invite theme was a train in pastels.

And Grandpa works on trains--

so trains it was!

 

Let's get rolling!

When she could only find pastel (no print) cardstock

I whipped out the embossing folders.

We thought a tag would work well

with a train image clip art-and

"Whoo-hoo...It's a Boy"

printed on it.

Not happy with "just a tag"

I looked through my

Close to My Heart Art Philosophy cartridge

and found...just the "TICKET"!

Still needing something...

I foraged in my stash

and found the leftovers from my

bulk Miracle pack-

and we were ready to roll!

 

Whatcha think?

The "ticket" cutout as well as "It's a BOY"

all started out as white cardstock-

I colored it with a Copic to match the darker blue

in the paper

The sour cream holder  favors varied-

some were pale blue, others pale yellow and

last but not least a pale green.

These were fairly simple to do-

and sit so nicely

(we did have to add a pop dot or two

behind the tag and the ribbon to hold them up)

on the table!

We whipped out 25 in two hours time

(assembly, that is! Precutting added another hour or so...!)

 

Using the same dp and ticket theme

I made name tags last evening.

I failed, however, to take a photo of them.

Using the same train image,

the same ticket shape (minus the decorative "ticket" word cut out)

I simply printed

"Hello-My name is" on the ticket

leaving a space above the train car to write the name.

Where the word "ticket" appeared on the favor "tag"

I punched two vertical holes and fed a large safety pin through.

Ribbon will be added to that for decoration-

they will then just pin the name tag on

and no sticky mess to deal with on clothing!

 

Whew!

Another crisis averted!

 

It's cold here-and going to get colder!

Like it or not, the weather and weariness is

whipping my butt!

Even after a 2 1/2 hr. "nap" this afternoon

I am still achy and drained.

Back to my bed and book...!

Until next time,

happy stamping and scrapping!

Blessings,