Gift Giving Ideas...!

NOTE: THIS POST WILL REMAIN AT THE TOP OF MY BLOG FOR -- A ROYAL WHILE! ; )

What GREAT NEWS I have to share!  I, the OKI StampQueen...has been discovered!  Those of you who follow my blog know that I love to blog-hop.  I LOVE the blogs that feature little thumbnails of ideas and links to the blogs of their creators.  Well, I happened to find KRISTIN'S HOMESPUN WITH LOVE blog--http://homespunwithlove.blogspot.com/ and ADORED her Boy Easter Garden Party post. It was way too cute!  So I left a comment telling her so! In turn, she went and viewed MY BLOG--and sent me an e-mail asking about the HANDMADE HERBAL GIFTS I make. One thing led to another, and she wants to do a post on MY THINGS!  I am so excited! She also suggested I do a post on them as well--so here it is!  While my photos aren't that great (I am still in search of a camera and the royal pocketbook needs a few lot more pennies before purchasing one)... here are some the SWEET SMELLING things I have to offer...

You *may* be able to click on an image and enlarge it--I haven't tried that--yet, Or, if you have any questions about any of my products, please just email me at sentbysharon@aol.com.  I will be glad to answer them.  All my products are ALL-NATURAL--there are no oils or chemicals...just natural herbs and as basic as I can get it. The OKI StampQueen is HIGHLY sensitive to a number of things-so if it doesn't work on me-I don't/won't make it and sell it!.  I also do neck wraps ($ 22.50/sorry-none in stock so no photo to show) that can also be used hot or cold.  And a variety of bath teas-a pkg. of 3 large tea bags for $ 5.00.  There's  several blends: Relaxing, Sore Muscle, Cold & Flu Chaser, Itchy Skin.

I will add-I do have cats.  They are NOT allowed around the fabrics and herbs while I am working with them and the items are stored in 3 layers of protection: each item is individually packaged, then several items stored together in another layer of packaging and then that package goes into a sealed container.  This keeps contaminants out, and the scent of the herbs in! Ever seen eye pillows, neck wraps and the like for sale without packaging? You're paying for the product that's lost/losing its scent as it sits in the store! Not so with my products!  I keep a small stock on hand and those items are tightly sealed!

I accept PayPal so it's super easy to purchase and pay for your items. Just send me an e-mail, I will tell you the total (including shipping) and, once payment is received, your items will be on their way to you.

Remember...MOTHER'S DAY is just around the corner! So shop NOW! 

Again, my heart-felt THANKS to KRISTIN for giving moi a "shout out!"  I am humbled and appreciative! Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping. Blessings, Sharon

New "do"!

It's been a tough year for me! Been to more doctors and through more tests than I care to count.  So a month ago when I was at wits end (and waiting on the biopsy results so completely stressed), I thought, "I'll go get my hair done-that always makes me feel better!" Well, if it hadn't been a good year for me-it was sure a bad day for my hairdresser! And I paid for it-in more ways than one!  The color was all wrong (it looked colored-not natural at all!) and the cut was atrocious, too!  I've lived with what I've called "helmet hair" for a month now-no shape, no style.  Lots of shampooing to pull the color out.  People were coming up to me saying, "Looks like your hairdresser had some fun with color!" Yep. Few liked it--but it really looked dyed red.  And I don't like dyed red.  Not when my hair has a pretty natural red to it (just that there's some gray that's sprinkled in there that needed some attention (hubby kept saying my gray made him feel old!)Yesterday, with some fear and trepidation, I went to a new hairdresser. I was armed with photos.  For now, I just wanted to deal with a decent cut.  She listened. She asked questions. I have short, naturally curly hair. It's not that hard to do. I *should have* taken a "before" pic so you could fully appreciate the improvement! The best  can do is the pic from my stepson's wedding last year:

With short hair, there's not a whole lot of "changing" style...however I did mention to the stylist yesterday that I liked it blown out and combed down, too--and this is what she did:

whatcha think?! 

The first person I saw that knew me-was astonished-in a GOOD WAY!  She absolutely loved it and said it made me look years younger! I'll take that!  Think I will keep it, too! Just gotta learn to use that large round brush and some new tool called a flat iron!  With the humidity in the air today (and the pending rainstorm) my curls are back! That's ok.  I now know that with a little tweaking I can have two very different looks! And, thankfully, the color is back to what I like (very close to my natural color!) Now-just have to find my tiara! Lol! 

Off to make one more set of pinwheels for my desk at work!  Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping! Blessings, Sharon

More Pinwheels!

I just can't get enough of these!!!  I cannot get motivated to do anything other than play with pinwheels! That and search for the mia slide of Moi on her tricycle.  I *know* where I saw that last-but it moved to some secret safe place.  And I want it. The bike stamp (that I saved a TON of shipping charges on by NOT ordering from Unity!) has arrived and I have a piece of great paper and want to make a 12x12 shadowbox frame up and can't find the slide. SIGH.

Anyway-back to the pinwheels!  I have a friend who's been keeping close tabs on me through some difficult days. She often just calls to check on me-is quite concerned about my health-left me a cute little Easter basket and some DELICIOUS chocolate...so I wanted to do a little something for her to say thanks!  I used this paper to make her Christmas cards last year-yep, hot pink, teal, lime green---polka dots and flamingos! So I grabbed a sheet and made the pinwheels.  Nice thing is-I am not sure who the paper is by but the Close to My Heart Juniper ink & brad matched perfectly!  I used tissue to cover the Styrofoams inside the jelly jar I rescued from the trash! How handy that I had emptied at breakfast! ; ) !  I had a thank you card in my stash so it was all ready to deliver in almost no time.  I did try Laura's method of assembly--and it doesn't work. : (  The ends of the pinwheel pieces have got to be adhered together or it just spreads out into the space between the beads and there's no room for it move.  Not a big deal-it's not that hard to do

the pieces individually. I *highly* recommend using a pair of tweezers or pliers to squish the wire together however as I completely ruined the nail on my index finger. I can't keep my fingernails nice but this tore back a bit more than comfortable. Ouch.  I need to make a set of pinwheels for my office! Hmm...a nice blue and white maybe since that seems to be my relaxed, beachy color scheme and theme.  Let me go see what I can find...! Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping. Blessings, Sharon

I may be shooting myself in the foot...< Another Gift-Giving Idea!>

...by posting another GIFT GIVING IDEA

but THIS (jar) arrived in my mailbox yesterday and I am SO EXCITED I can't STAND it.  Foot-stand-there's a PUN here...This little jar contains magic SALT SCRUB.  I discovered this product the end of last summer when I participated in a free-space craft show our local eletric company sponsors. Mr. Lamb, the owner of ISLAND SKIN SATIONS, and his wife had a table next to mine. They had a pyramid of their product and a mini water tank and catch tub set up so people could sample their product. All morning long people came and went and I listened to their sales pitch, heard the "ooohs" and "ahhs" and finally decided I needed some of this for myself. My royal "piggies" take a beating--I am a barefoot kind of gal.  I HATE shoes.  Give me sandals or flipflops if I have to have anything. I do don shoes for church-but oftentimes you find them kicked off under the pew (I've even gone up for communion sans shoes! Gasp! Thankfully, our minister is the same way! And he "qualifies" it by saying we are in God's house and standing on Holy Ground! Go, Fred!) Anyway-I digress. It only took one shower with these salts (I got COCONUT scented) and I was HOOKED!  I will never, ever let myself be without a jar of this stuff! It's THAT GOOD!  All the gals on my Christmas list got this--and I just ordered some for my friend, Betsy as her "end of tax season" gift-and of course a jar for Moi! I left a message on Wed. afternoon-the product was in my mailbox yesterday(Friday)!  Shipping was reasonable, customer service EXTRAORDINARY. (Did I mention the Christmas jars arrived in gift bags--all I had to do was add a to and from tag! : )  ) I don't know what other SCENT Island Skin Sations-has--but I promise they are good!  In case you can't quite read the card--it says: 

 Imagine yourself a day at the spa-

In your own home!

Exfoliates & softens the skin (OH YES IT DOES!)

Great for those hard working hands & feet.

Jeff Lamb, Owner & Operator Island Skin Sations - 910.228.1351

I love the little glass jars they come in AND the twine bow (yeah, the OKI StampQueen likes those special little touches!).  Even with my allergies-I have NO PROBLEMS with this product--and my heels did not crack and peel this past winter like they usually do-a true testiment that this stuff WORKS! 

So-if YOU want some super pampering like Moi,

give Mr. Lamb a call. Mother's Day is right around the corner--hmm..what about a gift basket-some Island Skin Sations, a Sentiments by Sharon eye pillow, a candle...Hmmm...!

Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping!

Blessings, Sharon

Make those pinwheels MOVE! : )

.I did it! I did it! I KNEW it would work---and it did!  Using the pinwheel die that I have been raving about in my prior posts, I tweaked the putting together process and made them so they would move!  First, I made myself dig into my "I love it and hate to use it!" stash of paper and picked out a piece.  It's by Cosmo Cricut and it's called Early Bird: Cherry Pie. It's double-sided-cherries on one side and then a pretty teal, cream and red diamond design on the other.  So---here's a step-by-step how to tutorial...I haven't quite gotten the camera/video part of the new laptop down yet so you'll have to settle for the old-fashioned way!

Things you need....

Pinwheel Die (see prior posts); Cutting tool (Big Shot, Cuttlebug, etc); One piece 12"x3" double-sided paper; Stick (I used a chop stick!); Wire (I used floral wire...); One round bead; one flat bead; ribbon to embellish; container to put them in; more ribbon to trim that; styrofoam; filler (if using a clear container); small piece of plain cardstock to stamp on; brad; ink pad; adhesive; small circle punch (think mine is 1"?), and a hand-held hole punch (with a hole bigger than the Crop-a-dile); scissors.  Ok.  So--first step is to cut 6 of the pinwheel die cuts and punch out one circle.

The next thing you want to do is adhere the pinwheel piece ends together one by one like so..

Then, using your hole punch, punch holes in the ends of the pinwheel pieces and in the center of the circle punch out. Should look like this:

Next you are going to adhere the pinwheel pieces to the circle.  You might want to use an adhesive that has a slower drying time so you can tweak their positions as you go around.

.

I cut a piece of floral wire about 6" or so---thread that through the round bead and give it a twist so it fits tight around it

Next you are going to add the pinwheel and then the flat bead behind that.  This next step is the tricky but IMPORTANT part:  you want to leave enough room between the beads and pinwheel so that it will move.  If you get it too tight, it won't (obviously).  Play around with it until you have enough space

Then you are going to wrap the ends of the wire around the stick.  I wrapped one to the top, and then one to the bottom and scrunched them  together when I was done wrapping.  Again, you want to be sure you don't tighten it too tight or the pinwheel won't move!

I tied a bow to two of the pinwheels and then stamped the sentiment on the plain cardstock and trimmed it out to attach it to the third.  I measured it around the stick and tweaked it so I would know where my "folds" would be, punched a hole for the brad and added a little adhesive to the part going around the stick.  Put it on the stick and attach the brad.

Finally I "recycled" one of the cute little ISLAND SKIN SATIONS SALT SCRUB jars! I cut pieces of styrofoam and stuffed them in, working around some paper basket filler to cover it as I went.  I trimmed the ends of the chopsticks so my pinwheels would be at varied heights and Presto! A VERY CUTE (yeah, I may be a bit biased!) little decoration. My kitchen is done in red and white and I think this will look adorable sitting in my old-fashioned, much-loved Sellers Hoosier!

Now, all that said--I *may*   probably assembled the pinwheel the hard way! I don't know if the assembly method listed on the blog site I ordered it from will allow it to move-or not.  You would still need the beads as spacers--and the larger holes. That I do know! If you try her method vs. mine and they do move-please do tell me!!!  Ok. So the day has gotten away from me somehow and NOTHING has been done on my to-do list. Oh well, there's always tomorrow, Scarlett! Lol. Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping! Blessings, Sharon

How Beautiful...

Ok-so didn't get too much cleaning done yesterday-I got side-tracked (easy for Moi to do!) and PLAYED instead-but, isn't that what Saturday's are for, anyway?!  I saw this image of the bathing beauty here --it's a digital image (stamp) by Mo Manning-meaning you purchase the image, she e-mails it, you save it (so you can use it over and over), then print it to the size you want and color as your little heart desires.  I don't have Copics-so my coloring was limited to my Sharpies and a set of I can't even remember how old Crayola colored pencils. Sadly, they are dying but won't go there now.  I just thought this was too cute-and knew I wanted to make a stair-step card. I found measurements for a small one- *thought* I had adjusted it properly-only to find out the front half is bigger than the back half and it's too big for the envelope (usually when it's too big it's because of too many pop dots!). Poor Dr. Parks tried really hard to teach me better math skills-but that is certainly not my gift! Oh well!

The sentiment is from a Close to My Heart set and I apologize but I am not sure who the palm trees and sun is by.  I have quite a collection of beach themed stamps since we live at the beach!  You can't quite tell from my photo but she has a pink tint vs. a tan to her!  Being a natural redhead, I tend to burn and freckle. Someday all the freckles will connect and I will have a great tan! Lol! I added some "sand" to it--a mix of 2 parts gold microbeads with 1 part silver microbeads attached with  Stampin' Up's Crystal Effects works great for realistic sand! I added some of the CE to her sunglasses as well to make them look like glass.  I love the dimension the "steps" give the card and yes, there are pop dots involved! The shells I added are the real deal (my late husband used to say that the beach erosion problems would be solved if I stopped picking up all the shells!)  I have no clue where I got or who made the flip flop brads but I would suggest checking out Oriental Trading Co's scrapbooking supplies or Paper Wishes.

I didn't stop there!  When I got done with the first one of these (I made 4!), I played with the PINWHEEL die some more!  This is what I came up with:

These don't move---and while I think they are absolutely adorable (you can get yours here and, for more ideas, see Amy's post at http://pickledpaperdesigns.blogspot.com/2011/04/your-generosity-blows-me-away.html ), part of the fun with pinwheels is making them move! So that's today's play-time project. I have some things I have to get done, but I know I can tweak these and make them move.  I will be sure to share that secret when I figure it out! I think I am going to make more of these for the fall craft shows I do. The die comes with some very cute sayings and I think they would make great friend/co-worker/teacher gifts to set on a desk or table.  Small flower pots, some moss (I don't like the faky plastic grass!), a MOVING pinwheel with a sentiment tied to the stem!  Hmmm...better go get those royal pain in the potootie chores done so I can play with my pinwheels!  Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping! Blessings, Sharon

Too Funny Wedding Mishaps...

June is right around the corner...and that means LOTS OF WEDDINGS! I found this on AOL videos and can't stop laughing--they are really funny---now. I am sure they weren't at the time! I wonder what happened to the groom who smashed the cake in the face of the bride?!  Divorce court vs. the honeymoon, I am sure! My favorite?  Hmm...I guess the ring bearer pushing the bridesmaid/flower girl. Reminded me of my cousin (age 8 at the time) hitting me (age 9 at the time) at my uncle's wedding. Fast forward at least 10-12 years and we found ourselves paired for yet another wedding. I told him that if he hit me this time, I was hitting him back-and I KNEW where to aim to make it hurt! Lol. He didn't!  The funny thing was---the entire family gave  him a hard time as in watching the video of the reception, it looked like he left me standing alone on the dance floor during the bridal party dance.  He didn't!  We had danced some and I told him he needed to go and get his grandmother to dance with her (she was a widow and also grandmother of the bride) so we worked our way to the side of the dance floor and I stepped away while he got her.  Of course no one else KNEW we had discussed it! I was nice-I told them the rest of the story!  If you want some laughs, check out:  http://video.aol.com/video/the-wedding-fail-compilation/1872827157.  Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping. Blessings, Sharon

Royal pennies...

Ok-so my post earlier today showcased the cute card made by Amy Sheffer over at Pickled Paper Designs. As I said, I have a soft spot for bike stamps.  This stamped image is from Unity Stamp Company so I rode on over and checked it out. Literally. It was $ 5.99 and I just slipped it right into my cart. I drove through all the roadblocks of setting up a new customer account (they have a lot of cute things!) as I *thought* I would be purchasing more things from them when the royal pocketbook was a little fuller. Then I got to the shipping charges. I almost had heart-failure! On a $ 5.99 stamp...shipping was---drumroll please...a WHOPPING $ 6.95?!!! I'm sorry---but that is just outrageous!  I sent Unity an e-mail expressing her Highness' dismay, saying I would have ordered but...and this was the reply I got:

From: Andrea Garvick

andrea@unitystampco.com To: sentbysharon

Date: Fri, Apr 29, 2011 9:42 am

Hi Sharon,

Our shipping is a flat rate of $6.95 for all US and Canadian orders, no matter the size of the order.

Thanks

Andrea

WELL! I can tell  you right now...this Stamp Queen won't be ordering from UNITY STAMP COMPANY anytime soon! I just got back on my cute little bike (still waiting on the royal mini cooper!)..and rode on over to that e-bay place...found the exact same stamp for the exact same price....$ 5.99...and shipping was only....drumroll, please....$ 2.50! And it was EXPIDITED shipping at that!

I don't know about you, but every little pound and penny counts for me these days. I work HARD for what I earn...and there's too many things I have to pay (doctors, etc.) that the little I splurge on myself has to go a looooong looooong way.  So paying exhorborant shipping charges is a no-no. Not gonna happen.  Unity may have cute stuff-but I am not going to let them rip me off!  I had to give a shout out to maybe save you from the same shipping scan(del)!  Granted, you may not *always* be able to find a better deal-but it makes me feel better trying--or finding an alternative!  Anyway...back to the housework!  It's the maid's day off unfortunately.  Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping. And don't skip my previous post-Amy's cards are really cute! Blessings, Sharon

Just stopping by...

since my blog was next on my blog-hopping list! No great new projects to post---at least not of my own creation today--so sorry (some great ones from blogger & designer AMY SHEFFER-http://pickledpaperdesigns.blogspot.com/ at the end of this post!)  I just haven't been up  to par and the gall bladder's been raging and keeping me up all hours-and, as much as I dread the thought of surgery (being unconscious and at the mercy of God knows who (with recent experiences with the medical profession-I have some major trust issues!), I do sense that that organ is going to have go sometime soon!

Gasp--I did not get up to watch the Royal wedding (we don't have tv other than dvd/video capability)--but I have watched the news online.  Can't help but remember Princess Diana's wedding and pray that the press and like don't do the same to the newlyweds as they did Charles and Diana...

Today...I am cleaning house and updating the "honey-do" list (one of which is fixing my bicycle so when I do feel good I can ride!) -Tomorrow--back to the craft room.  Theresa and I are still contemplating a crafty yard sale--so gearing towards that and getting some workable space in there once again.  THEN going to use the stuff that I keep SAVING--you know-those papers you fall in love with and then can't use--'cause you love 'em?  Going to make myself some 12x12 framed pages to decorate with with the ones I can't part with. And those stamp sets I LOVE that have never seen ink or paper? That's gonna change, too! I am ANXIOUSLY AWAITING...my week-end get-away to Charleston with my friend, Betsy, next week-end. 

Pinwheel Card by Amy Sheffer--Pickled Paper Designs

If I take a "time out" and attempt anything crafty (particularly if today's mail has the PINWHEEL DIE...I will be sure to share! Check out Amy's blog-- http://pickledpaperdesigns.blogspot.com/ for some great ideas---I just might have to snag her pinwheel card as a thank you to Betsy for taking me away! I LOVE the trike card she has posted today, too! I have fond memories of riding my little red trike-with streamers from he handlebars in my grandparents unfinished basement when I was little (I grew up in OH--lots of snow and ice--so riding inside was a real treat!  Until next time, have a GOOD DAY and happy stamping and scrapping! Blessings, Sharon

It's a Good Day card also by Amy Sheffer-Pickled Paper Designs

Happy Easter!

Despite feeling worse than last week when I played hooky from church, hubby managed to wake me up in time to make the sunrise service at Caswell Beach.  The three "island churches" participate in the service and regulars and tourists come from near and far to Ft. Caswell to congregate on the bluff and watch the sun rise as we listen to great music and hear His Word proclaimed.  It's always moving, sometimes quite chilly (not today, thankfully) and well-attended. Had enough time to grab a cup of coffee and do some blog hopping before I donned my Easter apparel and we went to our 9:30 service. More great music  and preaching. 

I am really depressed over feeling bad (cough, sneeze, blow, repeat) and just life in general today.  But--there is GOOD NEWS. I have a Risen Savior who will see me through. Despite how I feel, I KNOW it will get better.  He will not leave me alone.  That's the promise of Easter. He died that we might live.  All days may not be roses and sunshine, but He promises to see us through. He has. He will. I believe that! Have a BLESSED EASTER--not just today, but every day and, until next time, happy stamping and scrapping.  Blessings, Sharon

Next Up...Mother's Day...

 OK--so I don't do Mother's Day well for a number of reasons.  The sentiment that says, "My mother is a travel agent for guilt trips" pretty well sums it up. So much so---we simply e-mail. Very seldom at that.  There are those out there who don't have great mom relationships--or don't have children of their own-or have step children (and husbands of the same)  who simply don't recognize them since they are merely "step mothers". Whatever the case, please be sensitive and think about that BEFORE you wish someone happy mother's day.   That's my rant for today!

There are those, however, who have GREAT MOMS and who do want to recognize their WIFE on Mother's Day.  So here's my before--these are purchased blank notecards wayyyyy to pretty to pass up from Michaels....and here's the outside of the finished product....I added a silk ribbon, bow, hand-stamped (popped up, of course!) tag (SU set that's older than dirt!), crystals and then added a K& Co. glittered dimensional flower group. Once again, my poor photography doesn't do it justice!  The sentiment for the Mother card

 that I printed out using the RBG code to match the CTMH hollyhock ink color says: " There's no velvet as soft as a mother's lap, no rose as lovely as her smile, no path so flowery as that imprinted with her footsteps.-Archibald Thompson

   Happy Mother's Day"

The sentiment for "To My Wife" card says:

Happy Mother’s Day To My Wife

On Mother’s day, I want to wish
Happy Mother’s Day to my wonderful wife;
My friend, my love, a terrific mom,
You bring so much happiness into my life.
You’re everything to this family;
I appreciate you, and I want to say,
The day we met, I was truly blessed.
Happy, Happy Mother’s Day!

I *think& I got everything sufficiently sappy enough?! 

I was cleaning today and the empty clothes basket ended up under the "pew" (we have a church pew from our old chapel that we cut down to use as a bench at our kitchen table...)  It didn't take long for this to happen...Poppa Cat is on the outside trying to figure out how to get to the "baby", aka Inky, who's inside the basket! Or perhaps PC is holding him hostage?! Lol. Cats LOVE boxes, baskets, anything they can try and squeeze into.  Well, I am off to put the sentiments into the cards and bundle them up for the office on Monday. My hubby's boss liked them and allows me to send them in so people can "shop" in the breakroom! How sweet is that?!  Until next time, HAVE A BLESSED EASTER and happy stamping and scrapping! Blessings, Sharon

well, DUH....

 So yesterday, between the coughing and choking and sniffling...I decided to play with these.  I needed to make ONE birthday card but, in a moment of weakness, I decided I could mass-produce a few of those as well... Now, I had not used the spinner hands before.  They are NEW from Stampin' Up.  Never mind I ordered one package and then THREE MORE having not broken the seal on the first one! Lol. I just *KNEW* I would need more...! Anyway, 3/4 of the way through my project I discovered this...scroll down a bit...see that small circle thingy in the dead center of the container...?

Yep, it's a WASHER.  It helps to give a little room for the spinner thingy to move and work.  Well, DUH, Sharon!  I tossed the match  aside that I was using as a "spacer" to fix the brad in place and put the washer in.  It worked pretty good. Even with that (and I have to confess, with the match, too...) I was still managing to get the brad a little too bit tight (I have super powers when it comes to craft supplies!).  I found that if I flipped the whole thing over and took the tip of my scissors and placed them at the very edge of the brad prong and folded it over that way...there was plenty of room for everything to move. I also discovered (for what it's worth) that popping up the actual stamped spinner board looked better than popping the whole thing (layers and all ) up.  The spinner hands ARE NOT HARD AT ALL to use.  Sometimes I think Martha and I are related-if I can find a hard way to do something---! Geesh.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE these little gizmo's and even hubby was impressed (I guess they fall into the hardware category!)  and that stamp pad (Creole Spice--by Kalediacolor) really gives it a playful look I think (better pic of the card in yesterday's post!)  The spinner hands are a great deal--a pkg of 12 for $ 3-4!Visit Theresa at www.artful-whimsies.blogspot.com and she can order some for you!

Today...despite STILL not feeling better...I have to go to work and then this afternoon try and figure out how to get the preschool photos--photos-not digital images-scanned and uploaded to Shutterfly. I hate Picasa almost as much as Blogger and it's saving some scans and not others.  They are there-until I go to upload them and then they disappear.  That, and then I can't open the pics the teacher with the digital camera e-mailed-short of doing it one by one and it taking at least 10 minutes per photo. Did I mention there's a deadline looming for these THIRTY BOOKS I promised?!  Anyone in Blogland that has any answers--PLEASE HELP! The rest of you---PLEASE PRAY!!!

Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping! Blessings, Sharon

Over ambitious...

 While hubby was at church, in between my coughing and sniffling, I mass-produced a batch of sympathy cards.  We've had three deaths in the last 4 months...and I am always scrambling to make cards at the last minute. So I took the time to make a bunch of these to have on hand.  Sympathy cards are always hard-you don't want a lot of "fro-fro" but you don't want it to look like a store-bought card, either.  My "go-to" image is the bird in the marsh grass...it's simple, clean, and he looks like he's thinking...so it ties in the "thinking of you" (CTMH) sentiment.  I layered some dp that I have had in my stash for at least 5 years and it matched the CTMH juniper ink perfectly (it has a mix of blues, the teal green and brown).  The thinking of you is a flap that attached to the back of the card. It opens to the right, then you open the inside (card front) to the left as normal. And...NO POP DOTS! Gasp!

Then I felt ambitious enough that I thought I would do my "nephew's" belated birthday card as well...and why not do a bunch of those, too?  So I printed the backside and started playing with that design.  It was a little more challenging for whatever reason--even though I LOVE the Stampin' Up sentiments and spinner hands!  A trick to putting the spinner on and leaving enough room for it to move...I slipped a toothpick between the spinner and the card base and then folded back the prongs on the brad.  I did pop up that part of the card to be sure the brad would have room to move.  Instead of trimming off that extra little bit on the card front, I simply scored it and folded it back to make a pocket.  I usually tuck some money in for them and this worked great! I ended up rotating his card (the second one--and those brads are orange-not yellow?!) so its at the top instead of along the side. oh well. And, I didn't see it until I went to post the pics...can you see my goof? Or hmm, maybe it was meant to be that way...

I accidentally switched my layer colors around! Oops. Oh well. It's the thought that counts!

I'm a bit worn out now so I think I will go fix a hot cup of spice tea with honey and lemon and take a nap.  I can clean up later and finish the class kits. The cards I will do another day.  I've found that the boxes the CTMH orders come in (much like pizza boxes!) are GREAT for storing projects in progress in!  I simply tape a label to the outside and its good to go.

Oh-another tip...the older style SU stamps are really really sticky and leave a tough to remove residue on my clear blocks. The newer style stamps...if you put the label on (which I like to do) don't stick as well.  I found a small piece of tape from my Scotch tape gun put on the block itself-then attach the stamp-works great! It holds the stamp secure and then just rolls off when I am done! Easy peasy.

Time to rest.  Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping. Blessings, Sharon

For now, I need a little "Whine"...

So since Friday my voice has been coming and going...mostly going.  I sounded so bad when I woke up on Friday that when I went out to feed the feral cats, Moe kitty raced down the first flight of steps and hunched down and looked at me when I said "good morning"!  You look like my momma but you sure don't sound like her!  My husband claims he likes my deep, sexy voice and I sure would be singing base if I were in church this morning.  Coughing, hot...best not to make everyone else sick for Easter.  I would be croaking through the praise songs...not sure the praise band would appreciate my "not so joyful noise! Sigh.  I whipped through my fav blogs this morning as there were very few new postings.  EGGS are popping up everywhere, though. 'Tis the (spring) season.  This little bowl sits on my desk year-round.  Those eggs are really a light speckled blue.  (And no, the thing on the left is not an egg-it's a buckeye.  I am originally from Ohio and we had a buckeye tree in our backyard)  This is just one of those things that I see and smile and relax a little by looking at. Not sure why.  Maybe its the whole nesting thing.  If you want to see some really pretty eggs, go to Theresa's site--www.artful-whimsies.blogspot.com  Martha Stewart better watch out! ; ) 

I am off to get some more coffee,  try and get some cards done, kits finished for Tues. night (hopefully I will be recovered by then or may be using sign language to teach along with a mask!)  and a few other things.  Until next time, thanks for letting me whine---and happy stamping and scrapping. Blessings, Sharon

TGIF Day!

Have I mentioned lately I HATE BLOGGER?!  I wanted to show you a photo of the beautiful PAINTED BUNTING that showed up at our feeder this morning--but, as usual, Blogger won't work right.  GRRRR!  Go to this site (so sorry! I tried, really I did!) for a real treat!  God used every color in the paintbox on these little ones!  They are just breathtaking to see in person!  http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Painted_Bunting/id  We  love the aviary (bird pavilion) at the NC Zoo--in fact, that was one of the spots I considered for our wedding! Hmm, with the weather warming that might just be a nice get-away...

I am off today (from work as usual on Friday's) and on my way to Wilmington sans my sidekick, Theresa--

: (   Making the circuit won't be nearly as fun  but I need ribbon and tape for the accordion  books that are coming along quite nicely.  Much faster than I anticipated which is a good thing!  I may take a few minutes and see if I can find a good deal on a new outfit as I will be going with my good friend, Betsy, to visit her son/ my "nephew" Matthew at The Citadel in May.  Haven't seen either of them in quite some time and a girl-trip is much needed! Never been to Charleston so that will be a treat, too!

Well, better hit the road! I will *try* to post some photos of the week-end projects later on. Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping! Blessings, Sharon

Remember these?

These are  the "carrots" that my friend Theresa came up with when she saw the Stampin' Up Petal die.  They are way too cute and have room for a small bag of jelly beans or chocolate eggs nestled in a little grass inside.  I first made 30 of them for the pre-school director at the church I work for.  Then my husband took a few to work and put them in the break room.  I *think* the orders he took rounded out to 40! So that's what I've been busy doing the past few days!  Easter is "late" this year but it is creeping up fast on me all of a sudden. 

Thinking I had this week-end to make the pinwheels for the preschoolers I thought I was in good shape-until I realized yesterday that...this Thursday is their last day as they are off for spring break next week! YIKES! Thank God the dollar store had some small pinwheels 3/$1. (I got it in my head that that's what I wanted to do for them--I always loved (and still do!) pinwheels!  I will "dress them up" by adding a punched flower with a cute bunny stamped center to the stick and a note from me on the back.  Guess that's what I will be doing this afternoon!

Once that's finished, I need to finish prepping the kits for our class next week and then I have orders for 30 wallet accordion books for the preschool as well. I decided to do this as a fundraiser for the school and hopefully to get my name out there as a Close to My Heart consultant.  Did I mention Easter and Mother's Day cards that need to be mass-produced for sale as well?! I think I need to be twins or triplets! Lol.  I sense a shopping trip to Michaels for Theresa and I to get ribbon and more "ammo" for tape gun, though!

I did take time out last Sat. to visit the Azalea Festival and the Cole Brothers Circus with my goddaughter, Maren, her mom, Susan, and Maren's friend, Katie.  The weather was nice and it was a great belated-birthday celebration for me.  Maren made a scrapbook page for me and did an AWESOME job!  Got a Crazy Cat Lady mug and two beautiful pottery bowls with dragonflies on them.  They really outdid themselves! Will have to post pics later on.

Well, the coffee mug is empty and I have a few other blogs to hop on over to so, until next time, happy stamping and scrapping! Blessings, Sharon

BENIGN!

Hello all. No project to post today but rather I wanted to say THANK YOU for the thoughts and prayers.  The answer yesterday on my biopsies was---they are benign!  Breathing a sigh of relief.  While there were "fragments of a polyp" (endometrium) there, the ob/gyn could tell me nothing about the why's, what's and other questions I had. Kinda scary as this is supposed to be her field!?!!  She just looked at me with a blank stare. No clue. No one home!  I'm not even too sure the porch light was on!  At least I have the reports in my hot little hands and have faxed them to a practitioner that I know can--or will find the answers for me if she doesn't know.  I can also say that, today, for the first time in months, thanks to prayer, the new practitioner, added meds and upped doses (mostly homeopathic), I am feeling significantly better. The trick now for me is going to be not to OVER-DO!  Am going to get back to the routine of visiting the hydrotherapy pool (which should help the fibromyalgia, my weight  and the blood pressure that was off the charts (so high they wouldn't tell me or chart it!) ) and biting the bullet and having the ladies come and clean more often (housework hurts even when I pace myself and sets me back with 3+ days of pain...)  The latter will hurt the budget (and ego--"I should be able to do this!" sigh) but maybe it will force me to use some of the stamps that haven't touched an ink pad or paper and that's not a bad thing! I have Easter "carrot" orders, mother's day card orders, anniversary card orders and ---I committed to some wallet accordion albums for a preschool fundraiser--and sold 30+ of those! Theresa and I also have three new women looking for paper project classes so there's  lots to do!  Thankfully, I am slowly getting my life back.  It's been hard for me to live with myself--(hormones/pain/frustration and depression!)--and I thank those close to me who have put up with me all these many months as I've spiraled downward.  I can see some hope finally and look forward to feeling better-MUCH BETTER!

Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping. Blessings, Sharon

Spring is springing...!

Despite our cold temperatures (after our tease with warm weather-followed by a hard frost!), the FIRST purple martin (bird on the left) of the season showed up this morning!  We put up 3 of these houses in our front yard every year and they come and nest.  It's really special to watch them building --oftentimes there's what I've come to call "porch furniture" --the over ambitious (probably first time) nesters will bring branches and vines that are way too big and stick out onto the deck!  We can, with binoculars, see the babies once they start coming to the openings to be fed.  The sparrows are not so nice to the martins--so keeping them away is always a struggle. Hmm...maybe I will suggest hubby put a few different nesting boxes lower..can't hurt.  We also have bluebird houses although it's been a year or two since we've had them nest.  We have painted buntings that visit our back deck feeder and they are quite a treat to see as well.  If you like baby animals, goats in particular, check out http://antiquityoaks.blogspot.com/  There are a lot of cute photos as the "kids" are hatching like crazy!

One more sympathy card for today.  I want to send one to Theresa's parents and this is what I came up with:

Close to My Heart (wings paper, juniper & crystal blue inks) meet Stampin Up (bird image)!  Yep, that's a real piece of branch that bird's perched on!  And no, your eyes are not deceiving you--that is a Martha Stewart border punch you see.  I caved.  I love the look of this and have drooled each time it appears on a blog.  So I bought it. Unfortunately, as usual, there's an issue with it.  I can't get the close up image to load but there's one scallop that's cutting uneven.  At least I purchased it at Michaels so exchange and/or refund shouldn't be too difficult.  From now on, I will open the packages and try them at the check out.  I've had a lot of issues with her punches and typically refuse to buy them.

Well, I want to do some blog hopping and the coffee cup needs refilling! Whatever you do today, enjoy. Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping. Blessings, Sharon

ps/I just visited MS's site...http://www.marthastewart.com/goodthings/container-magnets and saw this cute little project.  Add a pencil and a small note pad and this would make a great little gift! 

With Sympathy...

I think we'd all agree that sympathy cards are not our first choice to make...or even buy.  My good great friend, Theresa, lost her uncle earlier this week.  This is the card that I made for her...that I "cased" from another site and-my apologies--I cannot find the paper that has the name of the blog I got it from...

I love this bird in the tall marsh grasses even though it never photographs well.  In real life it's very pretty.  The paper is from the Close to My Heart Wings packet and is the juniper color.  It is a solid base with the three panels on the left mounted directly to the base as well as the card that opens on the right.  Nifty little tweak to a typical card.  I am off to create one for her parents as well...not sure it if will be the same.

On a closing note, it's been an insane week for me with battles with health care practitioners.  I think I am winning, however. All I can say is...PLEASE do not accept practitioners who simply want to pat you on the back, hand you a prescription, and take your copay-not necessairly in that order! If they don't listen--don't follow through---FIND SOMEONE ELSE! And, if I dare trust the nurse that left a message, my biopsies came back normal so the cancer scare was just that-a scare.  Until I see the actual report with my own eyes, I am remaining cautiously optomistic.  I got that word while having my hair done so at least I was able to exhale a little and enjoy that treat. My hairdresser, David, is a vet and he and his salon are doing the hair for the Wounded Women Warriors tomorrow.  He was excited and said, "It's really an honor to be doing that for them." 

Until next time, happy stamping and scrapping. Blessings, Sharon