Janene's Pumpkin Patch

In Defense of Food

2010-01-27T16:25:00.000-08:00

In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan. Well, if you watched Oprah today Michael Pollan was one of her guests. He spoke about his new book, Food Rules, which is available this month. The book I will discuss is In Defense of Food. His whole book can be summed up with the first seven words..."Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

His whole book discusses how we as a society need to get back to the basics of food. Eating the "right" foods is key. Easier said than done you say, right. Not really. Some of his points are to eat foods your great grandmother would recognize (not the Go-gurts that the local supermarket sells). Eat foods with ingredients that a 3rd grader could pronounce. In our Western diet has been more concerned with nutrients instead of food and therefore we have become less healthy. We need to focus on consuming whole foods and staying away from refined foods, emphasize quality over quantity, and eating simple foods instead of complex. Easy, right? Of course.

The book can bog you down with science talk and for most people it can get extreme, but believe me, he has some fabulous points that everyone should take to heart. If everyone read this book and practiced just a few of his "rules" I think that peoples health would improve.

Well, In Defense of Food can be ordered through Amazon.com along with his most recent book, Food Rules. I am sure there will be a bundle discount if you purchase 2 or more of his books.

Happy Reading.

11 Books and Counting...

2010-01-21T19:56:00.000-08:00

I finished my eleventh book today. I was going to pick one of the books I have read and review it, but I thought I would make a list of the 11 books and if someone wants a review or my opinion on a specific book I will do that.
This list is in the order I read the books (11 is the book I just finished)...
1. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian - Sherman Alexie
2. Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life - Amy Krouse Rosenthal
3. In Defense of Food - Michael Pollan
4. Twilight - Stephanie Meyer
5. New Moon - Stephanie Meyer
6. Eclipse - Stephanie Meyer
7. Breaking Dawn - Stephanie Meyer
8. The Last Song - Nicholas Sparks
9. Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
10. Witch and Wizard - James Patterson
11. Catching Fire - Suzanne Collins

If I do not receive a request by Sunday (24 January 2010), then I will start at the top and work my way down.

Happy Reading.

Book Bargains...

2010-01-19T16:39:00.001-08:00

Ok, I had a last minute change of blog topic. I thought instead of diving right in with a book review I would give you a few hints for shopping for books.
*This week Barnes & Noble is having their teacher appreciate days, save 25%.
*www.paperbackswap.com is a fabulous web site where you post books you no long want and people can request your books. You only pay to send your book via media mail. You earn credits books being requested from you and then you can use those credits to "buy" books.
*www.half.com, pretty much like ebay, but you can sometimes find good deals on books, but the postage can kill ya.
*My personal favorite, yard sale and garage sales. I love them. They are a great resource to buy books on the cheap, typically .25-$1 (depending on if the book is paperback or hard cover). I have been able to stock my classroom library using these sales.
*Some libraries have "Friends of the Library" sales a few times a year and you can get bags of books for a few dollars.

So, sometimes it pays to be a frugal shopper. Remember to check the wear and tear on a book, the smell (some people are smokers or have pets), highlighting, and possibly scribbles on the covers (especially in childrens books). There are deals to be had out there. Be patient and the book you are looking for may be out there at a cheaper price than the $14.99 book store price.

Happy Reading

New Year New Blog...

2010-01-18T13:19:00.000-08:00

I thought I would change up my blogging topic. I havent been biten by the crafting bug lately, but I have been engrossed in books. So, my thought was to blog about the books I have read and am currently reading. This is just an idea so I am not sure how well it will take. My thoughts are since I have so many hobbies I wanted to share my love of them with anyone willing to take a peek.
Be prepared because since September I have read 10 books...mostly (90%) fiction, a variety of genres, and meant for different audiences. Please bare in mind that I am not an English professor so my take on the books are from a purely bibliophile (I just love to read) point of view.
So, sit back and read my blog and hopefully I will inspire you to pick up one of these incredible books and enjoy them as much as I have...for the most part.
Next blog will be a list of all 10 books including the authors, and possibly a book cover included.

I'm back...

2009-11-15T17:10:00.000-08:00

Yea!!! I have been dying to post. I do feel like a slacker, but I have been working. Obviously I am starting with a few Halloween cards that I made this year.

This stamp never gets old for me. I am not sure where I bought it, but the side of the stamp reads www.savvystamps.com. All the embellishments were found in various locations in my scrap area. The paper was a Target purchase for the dollar spot. The ribbon and bling were probably from Michael's.

Now that Jay gave me a brief lesson on how to post on my new computer I am hoping to resume my blog posts about 3 times a week. The past week has been hectic since Jay had surgery. He is feeling better now and hasn't taken a pain pill since 4AM (I hid the bottle to gradually ween him off the powerful and addictive meds). My mom arrives Thursday for a 3 week stay and I cannot wait. Next week I have off work so she and I can play and I can cook for Thanksgiving.

Thank you to everyone who has been patient and will bare with me until I really get into the swing of things. I hope everyone had a super Sunday and their Monday is marvelous.

Whatelse????

2009-10-19T07:11:00.001-07:00

Ok, just when I started getting my crafting mojo back and had a few cards to post, now my computer is broken. I do want to show you the 6 Halloween cards I have made in the past few weeks, but now I will have to figure out how to post pictures from my laptop and since Jay leaves for Seattle tomorrow, Tuesday, I may have to wait until the weekend to post artwork. Be patient...artwork is coming.
Well, I hope everyone has a marvelous Monday!!!

Ooops!!!

2009-10-08T18:44:00.000-07:00

May 21st?? Really? It has been THAT long? I apologize to my 5 fans...=)

Please do not think I have been sitting around eating BonBons (I wish) and watching soap operas. The summer brought construction projects to the house, a few traveling adventures, working out daily, spending quality nap time with my baby girl, Maddie (11-2 was our nap time...no we did not sleep that entire time. Maddie did, not me), gardening, baking (zucchini bread with fresh from my garden zucchini), working on power point presentations for work, making a few Christmas gifts, and basically, whatever I darn well wanted to do...=)

Well, I am going to make you a promise. I promise I will resume my blogging next week. I need this weekend to get my crafting energies flowing (they have been pretty stagnant lately) and I also need to work on a few things. Mainly Halloween cards.

Please be patient with me while I get back into the flow of blogging. =)

Easter basket

2009-05-21T19:12:00.000-07:00

Well, here was my April artwork for my aunt's event calendar. The egg stamp set is from Close To My Heart called Eastertime, the butterflies are a Martha Stewart punch, and the basket is punch I bought years and years ago. I just randomly snipped my green cardstock to make the grass. The bottom of the calendar has a bunny in the basket with its feet hanging out...too cute.
My goal this weekend is to be a crafting maniac. I want to make loads of cards. I have a ton of ideas floating around in my head from various magazine, blogs, and websites and I cannot wait to try them out.
Oh, I think my next post might show my new venture into living green. We have a very small garden. I planted carrots, red and yellow peppers, zucchini, squash, cucumbers, butternut squash...I cannot forget my two herb herb garden of basil and parsley. I even used some basil tonight with dinner. It is amazing how much better it tastes when you grow it yourself. I am just starting out, but having a blast with it. Watching it grow by leaps and bounds it so much fun.
Have a fantastic Friday...=) Also, please have a safe Memorial Day Weekend. Remember those who fought (fight) for our country.

March on in...

2009-05-11T19:07:00.000-07:00

Ok, even though I have a little bit of Irish in my ancestry my March layout is pretty weak. I used stickles to outline the shamrock. I also used a shamrock button to highlight the actual date (although you cannot see...just imagine).
I hope every mother had a wonderful mother's day. I wish I could have celebrated it with my mom, but I know she could feel my love and good thoughts with her ALLLLLL day long.
I hope you had a marvelous Monday and that tomorrow brings a terrific Tuesday to all.

Happy Valentine's Day...

2009-05-06T21:33:00.000-07:00

Ok, here is February for my aunt's calendar. The reason for the fish is that my uncle LOVES to fish and thought it would be cute. The fish stamps are from Stampin' Up and the heart stamps are from Verve. I used liquid glass to enhance the bubbles. Yes, I know it is blurry, but if you drink a glass of wine, margarita, martini, bottle of beer, it will be clear. I was actually in a hurry to get the pictures taken to mail out the gift, so please cut me a little slack.
I hope all is well with everyone and I hope y'all had a wonderful Wednesday.

Event Calendar...

2009-05-03T19:04:00.000-07:00

I know. I know. I know. I have been a bad blogger. The only excuse I have is that I just didn't feel like doing anything. Plain and simple.
For Christmas 2008, I made my mom an event calendar from Close To My Heart. I decorated each month and added only a few special dates (my birthday, her birthday, my wedding anniversary, etc.). She loved it and I guess my aunt saw and wanted one. So for the past 3 weeks I have been working on it. In the coming days I will post the months I created for my aunt. I never took pictures of my moms calendar. I should have. My hind sight is 20:20.
Ok, so for January I used a Close To My Heart stamp set called All Decked Out. This stamp set is full of imagination. You get to create your own snowman, the type of scarf, hat, face, number of snow balls, etc. For my snowman I stamped the hat and scarf on a piece of paper that was highly textured (and I just stumbled upon it) and cut them out. I used silver stickles to highlight the snow flurries at the bottom of the snowman and orange stickles for his nose.
Even though you cannot see it, I decorate the entire month. I put snowflakes all over. I also stamped Happy New Year! from the Say it in Style stamp set also from Close To My Heart. I think this is my favorite decorated month. I love the way the stickles adds the perfect amount of sparkle.

Miss Me?

2009-04-08T19:18:00.000-07:00

Well, I have been busy. This past weekend I worked on organizing my scrapbook area. As we all know that can be a chore in and of itself and can actually suck up your entire weekend. Let's just say that after a trip to Michael's I think I am set with the furniture and a sorta organized area. I do have a lot more space to work. So, would you like to see it? Yep, I thought so. I want to wait to figure out how to post two pictures. Jaaaaaayyyyyyyy! =0
On that note I am going to head to my craft table and finish up making my Easter cards. I am keeping it small and simple. I hope you had a wonderful Wednesday and have a tremendous Thursday.

Welcome Spring...

2009-03-30T19:06:00.000-07:00

Are these colors spring or what? I love this. It is such a simple card. Ok, so I had a recipe to follow, but I don't mind. I used ALL Close To My Heart supplies and the stamp set is From Me To You. I made this for Jay's aunts birthday.
Ok, I have a question for you...where did March go? Wasn't it just yesterday that it was St. Patrick's Day? WOW!!! I cannot believe that in just a few shorts day (one) it will be April.
I am going to try to work on some Easter cards this week, but I am not sure if I will find the time. I have been working out like a mad woman. Four days a week and on Sunday. I don't stay at the gym for too long, but by the time I get home and make dinner, I am exhausted. I am also working on some Christmas (yes, I said Christmas) gifts.
Well, I hope everyone had a marvelous Monday and their Tuesday is terrific. =)

Happy Belated St. Patrick's Day!

2009-03-23T18:23:00.000-07:00

Ooops! In all the chaos to get Maddie's treat bags done I forgot to post my St. Patrick's Day card. Well, actually one of them since I forgot to photograph the other one.
This card was very simple, but it took me longer than it should have and also didn't turn out the way I wanted. I used stickles on the clovers and ticket punched the sentiment. Sorry I am in a rush this evening, but Jay and I have been busy working on a project that needs to be done by the 30th and so we are scampering around to get it all done.
Have a marvelous Monday and a terrific Tuesday!

Happy Birthday Maddie!!!

2009-03-17T18:57:00.000-07:00

Our little girl turned 2 today. They grow up so fast, don't they? =) Well, since Jay and I don't have children we dote on our puppy child. I made these little treat bags for the neighbor dogs. So you think I have too much time on my hands? Well, let me tell you what was entailed with the treat bags...homemade doggie treats that were cut out in the shape of dog bones. I used my nestibilities to make the tag and a Close To My Heart alphabet stamp set called Doodle Alphabet. Ya think that's it? Nope. I have a little dog bone punch that I used so I could tie the string. And the piece of resistance...I made doggie shrinky dinks. I colored the dog to match Maddie(a gray spot on her left eye and the right ear). I don't know how good your vision is, but if you look in the lower left hand corner of the tag you can see the shrinky dink.
Was all that work worth it? Absolutely. I had a blast making all of it. It combined 2 of my hobbies, baking and crafting. The neighbors probably think I am CooCoo for Cocoa Puffs, but the fact that Maddie loves her treats makes it all worth it.
I hope everyone had a terrific Tuesday and Lucky St. Patrick's Day.

Monkey Madness...

2009-03-14T10:25:00.000-07:00

Look at these little guys. Are they not adorable or what? I just have a thing for monkeys. They always make me smile and these little cuties are no exception. The monkeys, leaves, and branch are from Stampendous stamp set called Changito Dos. Let's see, what did I do to this card...I cut the monkeys out and put googlie eyes on them...=) Gotta love googlie eyes. The branch is stamped, but I actually stamped and cut out larger leaves to attach to the branch. The inside sentiment is "i'm bananas about you!" Ut oh! I didn't use the banana stamp. Oh well. I used a dauber to add the brown background. The only thing that was a pain was cutting out the monkey boys.
Today I will be making Maddie's treat cards. Maddie turns 2 on Tuesday and I am going to make homemade doggie treats for the neighborhood doggies and attach a card with the recipe on the back. Do I have too much time on my hands? Not really, but I thought this would be cute, fun, and creative. Don't worry, I will post a picture of the finished cards, treats, and total package, but you gotta promise not to laugh!!! =0
Have a super Saturday and a superb Sunday.

Fluttering By

2009-03-10T18:26:00.000-07:00

Well, I LOVE this butterfly. I am not an expert on glittering, but I did my best. I would love advice and suggestions on how to make it better. This stamp set is from Close To My Heart March Stamp of the Month, Butterfly Wings and I love it. I am not jazzed about the sentiment (what you can see of it) and this card is nothing like I pictured it in my head. I think I rushed to get it done and I am disappointed in that.
I think the reason is that I have had a few things on my mind lately. Starting back to work with new everything (computer system, teachers, administration, and students), we had a stabbing incident on campus Friday at lunch, I am trying to do something for Maddie's 2nd birthday, and trying to get use to getting up so darn early. I am slowly finding my groove and I think by the time spring break comes along I will be rolling...ha ha ha.
Well, sorry this posting is a day late, but better late than never. I hope everyone had a terrific Tuesday. =)

Signs of Spring...

2009-03-03T16:51:00.000-08:00

Ok, here it is. So, it is a day late, but at least I got it out there. Please understand that the next post will be Thursday and not Wednesday.
Ok, for this card I used a cuttlebug embossing folder, Stylized Flowers. The sentiment comes from Close To My Heart March Stamp of the Month, Butterfly Wings. You should see the gorgeous butterflies in that set...WOW! The butterflies are from a Marth Stewart punch and I glittered the whole thing. Ok, maybe everyone knew about this, but I put my butterflies through my Xyron to get adhesive on the entire butterfly. Then I glittered them. Nice coverage, little to no drying time, and no sticky mess.
I hope everyone had a tremendous Tuesday and that Wednesday is wonderful. Take care...=)

Egads!!!

2009-03-03T12:43:00.001-08:00

Where did Monday go? I am so sorry I did not have a chance to post any artwork. By the time I got home from work, I ran Maddie, graded 30 labs, met Jay for dinner, took Maddie to the vet for her rabies shot, home, shower, grade another 70 labs with Jay's help, relax watching The Bachelor (ok, so I slept through 80% of it, but I did see the very very very end), went to bed but still watched After the Rose Ceremony. Very interesting. Today...I promise. It is on my To Do list. Have a terrific Tuesday.

WOW!!

2009-02-25T21:06:00.000-08:00

What was I drinking when I took this picture? I definitely need to revamp my "photo studio". Anyway. I thought this little guy was adorable so I ordered him a few months ago. He is from Imaginese. My lovely nestibilities were used for the scallop and plain circles. Spots and Dots Cuttlebug embossing folder was also used. A few of the Spots were filled in with my holiday red stickles. I thought my ribbon was the perfect color fit for this card.
I hate to cut this short, but I am pooped. Jay has been away all week so I have been taking Maddie to doggie day care early in the morning, getting to work 30mins later than I like, working all day, hitting the gym once work lets out, and then I pick up Maddie. She is an exhausted as I am, but the difference is she sleeps the entire time she is home. Ok, so she gets up to eat and potty, but that is about it. Today I had to do two of my most dispised house chores...taking out the trash AND the dishes, oh, I won't mention that I picked up Maddie's potty in the backyard (ok, so I didn't have a bad so I moved it from the grass to the gravel so Jay could take care of replacing the bag...is that bad? I just wanted to make sure it was cleaned just in case the gardners came on Friday). UGH!!!!! Tomorrow I am going to take a day off from the gym so I can run some crafting errands after work.
I hope everyone had a wistful Wednesday. I don't think I have ever used the word "wistful" before in my entire life. I hope I used it correctly.

Tweet Tweet, So Tweet

2009-02-23T12:09:00.000-08:00

I have got to learn how to take a decent picture. It may be my photo studio...a brown blanket draped on my scrapbook table and my OTT lamp over my shoulder. Hmmm, I may have to come up with something a little better.
Well, this little birdie is the last in my 3 part series (sounds so professional, huh?). I used a few supplies this time that I normally don't. From Close To My Heart I used white waxy flax to attach the buttons. The buttons were found in a bowl o'buttons on my desk. I used my nestibilities for the embossed scalloped circle and the plain circle. Ok, I love the look of pattern paper, but from odd reason, when I try it it looks hideious. I think I got it right this time. I think this birdie card may be my favorite of all three of them.
I hope everyone has a marvelous Monday.

Happy Valentine's Day...

2009-02-18T19:19:00.000-08:00

A little late, but I had to wait until my mother got her gift box since this was her Valentine's card.
Well, for this card I used a stamp set from Verve called Hearts on Fire. I went to the Verve blog and checked out some art work people posted and saw a card similar to this one. Since it was so long ago I have no idea what the lady's name was...sorry. I used quite a variety of supplies from ribbon, bling, foam squares, edge punch (Martha Stewart) and cardstock from the discount bin at my LSS.
My goal on the next batch of cards I photograph is to take my time so I get a good picture. I don't think this picture does the card justice. I am just so proud of this one and I wanted you to get the full affect. Oh well.
I hope everyone had a wonderful Wednesday. =)

Picture update...

2009-02-16T09:11:00.000-08:00

A little bit better. Enjoy!

A sexy little Valentine's Day card

2009-02-16T08:49:00.001-08:00

Ok, let me start off by apologizing for the horrible picture. I planned on taking another picture (not blurry), but I had already unlaced a little bit of the corset and it would have been a HUGE pain to lace it back up.
This was Jay's Valentine's Day card. I had worked on it all week. First I had to find a corset template and I did (www.timeforcrafting.co.uk). Next I had to figure out how I wanted it to look. I traced the template on black cardstock and then cuttlebugged it using my Divine Swirls embossing folder. That did not give it much zip, so I decided to use stickles (Holiday Red) to enhance the embossing. I thought red would be the perfect color and I was right. Then I woke up early Saturday to begin the daunting task of lacing it up while Jay slept in. UGH! After a few unsuccessful attempts this is what I came up with. I mounted the corset on a piece of red card stock and added a sentiment inside the corset. Then I mounted the red cardstock on a white card and stamped Happy Valentine's Day inside. I think Jay liked it. He didn't say to much about it.
If I have a chance I will lace it up again and try to take a better picture, but in the meantime I am off to the gym.
Have a magnificant Monday!

Another Valentine's Card...

2009-02-11T19:02:00.000-08:00

Well, this did not turn out the way I envisioned it, but I still like it. I used my new Label 1 nestibilities and the sentiment is from Verve. If my memory serves me I put a little bling in the upper left hand corner. The bottom corners were just punched out.
Sorry to cut this short, but I need to shower and get ready for bed...I am beat. I hope everyone had a wonderful Wednesday.
=)

So...tweet

2009-02-09T09:25:00.000-08:00

WOW! What a horrible picture. This card looks much cutier in person. I love the color...not sure the exact name, but I like the brilliant blue with a hint of yellow. Please do not ask me to remember where I got my flowers...it could have been the vat of flowers I ordered from QVC or Michaels or even a random filler in another kit. Again I used stickles on the birdies beak and wing and my nestibilities for all the round and scalloped shapes. I MUST thank my mother for supplying me with all my nestibilities. Her local craft store, Hobby Lobby, is da bomb. It has a HUGE selection of anything and everything you could ever want.
Well, no school today so I get a lazy day. I think I will hit the gym, come home, shower, and possibly go to the movies (it is raining outside). I want to dedicate some time to making Valentine's gifts for my lab assistants at school.
Have a magnificant Monday!

Puppy Love

2009-02-04T19:11:00.000-08:00

Isn't Maddie adorable? This picture was taken by Jay when we returned from our holiday trip to my moms in Michigan. I bought her little plush green dog bone pillow before we left and I actually put it under the tree (ok, our tree was a mere 2 feet tall and I even decorated it). The embellishments on the page were from a sticker set I found in my doggie supplies and so I really do not know where I got it.
As you can tell Maddie is our little girl and she brings such happiness and joy to our life. I'm sure my mother would love a grandchild to dote on, but she will have to settle for this precious little girl with four legs, huge teeth, stinky breath, 55lbs of pure love, and a desire to have fun.
I am sure there are people out there who are gagging at this post and hate the fact that we treat our puppy like a child, but they need to get over it and realize that we love this bundle of fur. She likes to drink copious amounts of water quickly and then throw it up shortly after, loves the taste of green grass in her mouth, will do anything for a treat, can knock a small child over with the force of her wagging tail, and who snores louder than a freight train roaring down the track (sometimes even louder than Jay).
Please note that she picked us as parents since we adopted her from a rescue. Even as I write this I have a little tear forming in the corner of my eye.
The following quotes brought a smile to my lips and a chuckle from my mouth. Enjoy them as much as I did.

"I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive. " ~Gilda Radner
"One reason a dog can be such a comfort when you're feeling blue is that he doesn't try to find out why." ~Author Unknown
"Scratch a dog and you'll find a permanent job." ~Franklin P. Jones
"Dogs laugh, but they laugh with their tails." ~Max Eastman, Enjoyment of Laughter
"My goal in life is to be as good of a person my dog already thinks I am. " ~Author Unknown

Have a terrific Tuesday or if you are reading this Wednesday (mom) have a wonderful Wednesday.

Happy February!

2009-02-01T13:30:00.001-08:00

Here is one of the Valentine's cards I made last week when inspiration hit me.
At the bottom of the black cardstock I used a Martha Stewart edge punch. The sentiment is from Hundred Hearts stamp set by Verve Stamps. I love that set because it has some very beautiful sayings and even one that my mom use to tell me throughout my childhood. I used my nestibilites for the red and white frames. As for the flowers, I'm not sure since I have dumped all my flowers in one BIG glass jar.
I wanted to get this post out earlier, but time got away from me and with the Super Bowl less than 90 minutes away now was the only time I could get. Who do you want to win? Cardinals or Steelers? My team isn't playing...da Bears. So, you may be asking who do I want to win...well, I grew up in a household with my dad rooting for the underdog and so that tradition lives on with me. I would like to see the Cardinals win.
Have a Super Sunday!

A little birdie told me...

2009-01-28T09:54:00.000-08:00

you needed a little Hello to lift your spirits. Isn't she a little cutie. This stamp is from Martha's Choice in the Imaginisce line. I picked up a few others that I thought were adorable.
This was my first card using this stamp and it is very simple. I used sunflower ink (from Close To My Heart) on the birdie, stickles on the beak and wing to add sparkle, the ribbon is from Michael's, I also used my nestibilities and the sentiment is from the Say it in Style stamp set from Close To My Heart. Oh, and I used my new Christmas gift from my mother on the corners...a ticket corner thingy from Stampin Up!
I hope you are having a wonderful Wednesday.

Finally!!!!

2009-01-25T21:05:00.000-08:00

I am going to start off by apologizing to my devoted fans (all 5 of you..=)). I have been negligent in crafting. Not sure exactly why, but in my head I wanted to, but I never really wanted to get off my butt and move into my craft room.
Well, the wait is over. Saturday and Sunday the crafting fairy sprinkled her (or his) fairy dust over me and I got to work. I don't want to over load you right away, so I am going to resume my posting schedule of 2008...Monday, Wednesday, and whatever other day I feel like it.
A few months ago (like 8) I bought a scrapbook for Maddie. It was full of cute doggie papers, stickers, and boarders and I have been wanted to get started on it, so I did. In December the local Pet Wash had free pictures with Santa for its customers so I told Jay we HAD to do this. I bought Maddie a little Mrs. Claus outfit (which did not fit her and I eventually called it her stripper dress and returned it) and of course I made Jay dress up (yes, that is Jay dressed up...nice jeans and a sweater). I wanted it to be festive since this was going to be our first "family" photo. Do you even realize how difficult it is to get a young, wild, energentic dog to look at the camera on cue? Well, lets just say that after 10-15 minutes of keeping Maddie out of Santa's beard, trying to get Maddie to start barking at another dog, and constant smiling by Jay and me we got a few good pictures and this one was the best. I love it. I wish you could see the outtakes...they are hysterical.
Ok, so my paper was something I found in my paper stash, the snowflakes are from Michael's (I used them on a few Christmas cards), Santa is a sticker set that I found tucked in my craft area, and I used my nestibilities for the frame. Simple, but I had to start off slow and steady. I didn't want anyone to have heart failure from me actually posting and then me post something fabulous. That would have sent you over the edge.
I hope you had a wonderful weekend and may you have a marvelous Monday! =)

Oh Happy Day!!!

2009-01-13T23:10:00.000-08:00

When I started this journey, I never thought this day would come, but tonight I did it. I finished my last project, my last final, in my last class for my master's degree. You have no idea what a HUGE relief it is to be finished. All my hard work, stress, anxiety, lack of sleep, long drives, long days, short nights, have paid off. This might sound odd, but I am so proud of myself. I never thought I would have pushed my education level beyond a BS, but I proved to myself I could do it. I have so many people to thank...Jay, my mom, Angel, my friends at work, my new friend I met through the program, my students. I am sure I am forgetting people, but it is not like they are going to read this. I just want to acknowledge all the people who supported me through this struggle. Thank you all.

Yep! Another Christmas card...

2009-01-08T16:52:00.000-08:00

I think this one is so cute. I really tried my best to make the lights look good, but I'm not sure. Well, anyway...I used my Christmas tree Cuttlebug embossing folder, a light punch I've had for years, twine that has been sitting on my desk since I moved into Jay's house, and then Merry Pursuits stamp from Close To My Heart. I might say that the Merry Pursuits stamp set is one of my holiday favorites.
Well, if you are willing to be patient with me I promise I will get my act together and get some Valentine's Day cards made and posted. Most of you know that I graduated with my Master's Degree last month, but I am in the process of taking my very last class. The class ends next Tuesday (officially 1/20, but my instructor is allowing us to submit our final via email..yeah!!!!) and I have a BIG project due for the class that I actually thought I had until the 20th, but NOPE! So, this morning I got up and went right to work typing, researching, printing, organizing, thinking...all the fun stuff that comes with school. After I decided to call it a day and hit the gym I took a look at everything I printed off. Let's just say I have to redo all of it because I ran out of ink. Isn't that just my luck? I have one last project for my degree and my ink runs out less than a week before it is due. UGH!!! Ok, so I will pick up my Rx, go to the gym, buy ink, and then go to the bank...I better head off now before I change my mind and lay down and watch QVC, DIY, Bravo, HGTV, and/or Food Network.
Have a tremendous Thursday!

Christmas card...

2009-01-05T22:51:00.000-08:00

Well, as promised, I posted some artwork today. I barely got it in before the new day.
A little about this card. I used my Cuttlebug snowflake embossing folder, ribbon from Micheal's, silver paper I found in one of my drawers in my scrapbook area, a felt snowflake that I picked up at Micheal's, and a little bling in the snowflake to give it a little zip. Simple and easy...just the way I like it.
I guess I should be working on some Valentine's cards...hmmmmm. I may wait a week or so to settle into my new leisure lifestyle (for the month of January only).
Have a terrific Tuesday! =)

Hello?!?

2009-01-05T08:44:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! Am I a little late? Well, I do not have any art work at this time because I have been SOOOOOO busy. I promise that I will post new artwork today granted it may be a few of my Christmas cards, but they will be new to you, right? =) Please be patient with me while I get into my new groove for the month. I do not do well with change and January is another change in my life (no interning, no working, just my last masters class). February will bring another new change (back to work teaching). So, until later today. I wish you a marvelous Monday.

Merry Pursuits

2008-12-16T09:27:00.000-08:00

When I saw this stamp set (Close To My Heart, Merry Pursuits) I HAD to have it. The little elves are so adorable. This is one of our Christmas cards. I used my Spots and Dots Cuttlebug embossing folder and then gently sanded it. The ribbon is a Micheal's find. I am new to using nestibilities, but I gave them a shot on this card. As I look at this card I see a few areas of improvement and I will work on them in the future...maybe I should center a little better and use a little more color on my present. I think if I would have inked the edges it would have been nice as well. The good thing is that I always learn from my mistakes.
I finally mailed most of our Christmas cards yesterday. I just need to wait for my husband to return from yet another business trip so he can sign the remaining handful. Yes, I make him sign his name...I'm evil, huh? =)
Well, I am playing hookie from my internship today because Jay is out of town and I have class tonight and I don't want to keep Maddie in her crate ALL day and ALL night. So, I am off to the gym to work off some of the cookies I ate last night.
Have a terrific Tuesday!

Christmas card

2008-12-14T09:38:00.000-08:00

Here is my attempt at a non-traditional colored Christmas card. I am still unsure about it, but it was so simple. The words were from the dollar bin at Micheal's and so is the ribbon. I think I will try another version of this one...this time I will do a better job at word placement.
I hope everyone is on the home stretch for Christmas preparations. I am still scrambling around to get my Christmas cards done...if my husband would signed the handful I have done I could get those out of my office and work on the remaining ones.
Well, yesterday was my graduation for my Master's program and it was great. Only 90 minutes...amazing. I had a picture of my dad in my pocket (the one I used at my wedding) so he could be there and with my mom and husband cheering from their seats it was everything I could have asked for.
Have a wonderful Sunday!

Simple Simple Simple

2008-12-10T06:05:00.000-08:00

Did I mention this card was simple? Well, it is. I used my Christmas tree Cuttlebug embossing folder and added a little sparkle right in the middle of the tree. Ok, that's it. I will probably add a little something to the edges...chalk, ink, etc.
Well, most of you know that I am working on my master's degree. Another huge step was accomplished this past Saturday. I submitted my binders. The binders are all the objectives for the program (about 40) and for each one you need to write a plan about how you are going to meet that objective and a little something, either a write up, resource, or literature. My professor told me I got the prize for the "thickest binder". If you know me you know that I tend to go a little over the top...especially with my education. I try so hard with everything. Ok, with that done I am in the home stretch. This Saturday is my graduation, Tuesday I have a paper due for my last class (yes, they allow you do graduate even if you have one or two classes to complete), and next Thursday is my last official day of my internship (I offered to help them out in January, especially at the middle school when the new intern comes in). Everything will be absolutely finished by January 20...YEA!!!! Almost there.
Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Gift card holder

2008-12-08T07:03:00.000-08:00

I love this little guy. I got the idea from Sue Nelson at www.heartprints.net/gallery/cuttlebug/. Her blog is one of the ones I ALWAYS go to. She has some amazing paper crafts using the Cuttlebug.
I made this into a gift card holder. The front is Cuttlebugged (the white with Divine Swirls and the red in Swiss Dots). The black and silver are just cut to size. On the back I glued a smaller piece of red cardstock so I could slip the gift card right in. I LOVE IT! I hope my friend does too.
Enjoy your week.

A little treat for you

2008-12-03T17:26:00.000-08:00

Well, this is the last project from the Stampin' Up workshop I went to last month. I am actually going to another one Saturday so I hope to get more creative ideas. Since this is ALL Stampin' Up I cannot tell you the colors, the stamps, the embellishments, etc., (but I can direct you to two amazing Stampin' Demonstrators) but I can tell you that I love this treat bag and especially the treats inside...Andes Mints. I have loved these mints for years. They are awesome in hot chocolate to give it a little kick. I am not sure what lucky person will receive this yummy treat.
I hope you are enjoying the holiday season. I have a few things on my mind before I can truly enjoy it. I have my final Master's project due Saturday (12/6), my graduation (12/13), a class paper (12/16), traveling to Michigan (12/19)...during all this hub bub I need to get to work on our Christmas cards. I may take the easy way out and Cuttlebug them all...Gosh, I hope not.
Have a fabulous week!

Happy December 1st

2008-12-01T07:03:00.000-08:00

Here is the last card I made at the Stampin' Up workshop last month. I love the way the card opens on both sides. I am sure there is a special name for it, but I haven't a clue what it is.
I was busy either Friday or Saturday making cards while my mother was making cute little chocolate gifts. I will post our products later on in the week.
Chaos comes in December, but I hope everyone takes the time to enjoy the holiday season. If you live in a place where snow is abundant then think of all the snowflakes as smiles from heaven. If sunshine is in your forecast then bask in the light of His life. Listen to the songs, carols, and hymns of the holidays and think of them as laughter from above. Take time to enjoy the little things the holiday season brings and smile in knowing you are celebrating the birth of Jesus.

Ooops!

2008-11-28T17:13:00.001-08:00

I was in such a rush yesterday to post my picture and get my thoughts out that I totally forgot to give credit to the person who inspired my turkey punch card. Her name is Dawn Griffith and her blog is http://dawnsstampingthoughts.typepad.com/dawns_stamping_thoughts/. All of the punches she used were from Stampin' Up, but since I do not have all the Stampin' Up punches I had to improvise. I hope you enjoyed my card.
Stay tuned there will be more posts...I promise.

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T16:03:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone. Oh, I just love this holiday. It is by far my favorite. I love the time to spend with family and thinking about all that I am thankful for. I love the crispness in the air and the colorful leaves that fall (in other places outside of California).
Well, I was busy yesterday morning and today. I made my cranberry relish and dressing yesterday to get a head start on the prep work for today. This morning I planned out my day. Since it was just my mom, Jay and me I bought a turkey breast. Let's just say a few things went wrong...our new oven is 50* off on its temperature reading (I program 375* and the oven heats to a mere 325*), then as I was ready to heat the gravy the knob broke off our new stove, so that burner was useless. Ok, in the end everything was ok, this year the turkey was a little dry and a lot salty (last year it wasn't cooked, but I am not sure why it was salty), the rolls cooked a minute longer than they should have so the bottoms were a little over cooked, the mashed potatoes were not as smooth as I would have like, but my dressing, cranberry sauce, green beans, and canned beets were spot on.
Later on we will partake in cupcakes we bought yesterday on our travels through Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive. We stopped in at Sprinkles as it was sprinkling out.
Jay and I are off to walk Maddie and take our local fire station two pies (nope, I didn't bake them...safer that way).
I hope everyone had a fabulous day. As you are shoveling in the food, take time to remember the true meaning of this day. We tend to celebrate Halloween and then race to Christmas forgetting to enjoy the pleasures of Thanksgiving. Enjoy the day. Oh, food has zero calories on this day!

Peace

2008-11-24T09:25:00.000-08:00

This card is similar to the Love one except that I colored the word Peace in light blue (photo doesn't show it too well) and then I found a ring with blue vellum in the middle, so I stamped the sentiment Love. Hope. Peace. on it. I matted the words on light blue cardstock and attached the ring. Voila! Very simple.
Jay and I have this week off of work. And my mother is supposed to arrive into town tonight from Michigan. She warned me this morning that it was snowing bad in Michigan and she didn't know if her flights would be delayed, canceled, on time, etc. She will be here until December 15th. I am very excited since she will be here for my favorite holiday...Thanksgiving and for my graduation from my Master's program.
Have a wonderful week.

Cute gift card holder

2008-11-21T19:42:00.000-08:00

This is another project from the Stampin Up workshop I went to last month. I love the Stampin Up gift card holder plain, but it looks fabulous all decorated. Feel free to make this for me and fill it with a gift card from any of the following stores...Williams Sonoma, Michaels, Nine West, Gap (well, I may get my new jeans this weekend since mine are frayed EVERYWHERE), hmmm, I think that about covers it. Remember, if you are looking for a wonderful Stampin Up demonstrator I know two of the best.
I am very fortunate that I have a musically talented husband. Right now he is practicing on his bass guitar a few songs for an upcoming gig in February in Orlando, FL. He is passionate about his drums and is an amazing drummer, but I don't hear him play too often since he thinks it is too loud and Maddie freaks out when he beats on his cymbals. I love to hear him play and I wish everyone had the opportunity to hear his awesome talent.
Have a wonderful weekend!

Christmas card ideas...

2008-11-19T17:49:00.000-08:00

This is a card that I made at a Stampin' Up workshop last month. I wish I could tell you the specifics, but since I am not familiar with Stampin' Up products I can only refer you to two wonderful people who happen to be awesome demonstrators.
I have always been a traditionalist. Christmas colors are red and green and nothing else. This card opened my eyes to other non traditional colors. You still get the Christmas feel from this card even if the colors lean more toward harvest. Of course I love the use of orange in ANYTHING. I hope you enjoy this card. Let me know if you are interested in any products from Stampin' Up I know people...=)

Give a little love...

2008-11-17T07:00:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to send out my love to everyone who takes a peek at what I post. Thank you.

This card took a long time, but was very simple. Does that make any sense? Well, let me explain. I used my cuttlebug embossing folder, colored the love (attempted to water color it, but I wasn't successful and therefore had to let all the water dry from the card...that is what took so long), I wrapped two pieces of ribbon around the white cardstock, and finally I attached the white embossed card stock to a piece of bright pink paper (from Michaels). So, there you have it. I actually got the idea from my friend Shemaine at scraptasticdesigns.blogspot.com. She actually had an Autumn card that I fell in love with and tried to copy. I tried.

Have a wonderful Monday.

A little digging

2008-11-14T07:15:00.000-08:00

Well, this past weekend I got into my craft area and got to work on a few things...finishing up my moms Christmas gifts, finishing a random page from our Hawaii honeymoon from 2007, finishing our Thanksgiving cards, and if time permitted explore some new ideas.
As I was rummaging through the drawers in my craft area I came across this love thing in a bag. It was done, the quote was on there, it was matted, and the flowers were even attached. Hmmm, looks like a card possibility to me, huh? So, I put the card through my Cuttlebug with the Swiss dots embossing folder and then put a little piece of sheer lavender ribbon across the top. Viola!
I cannot wait to do a little more exploring in the vast depths of my craft drawers to see what I can discover. Have a fabulous weekend and I hope you discover a treasure or two along the way.

Life Is A Jungle

2008-11-11T21:35:00.000-08:00

Have I mentioned how much I love this stamp set by Close To My Heart? It is called Life is a Jungle.
My best friend, Angel, is celebrating his birthday Monday and I thought this stamp set, especially the monkey, was perfect for him. The inside sentiment says "Life with you is a barrel of monkeys". He is a wonderful friend and I don't know what I would have done all these years without him. We would go to the movies, dinner, swap meets, etc. He has even been known to buy me Sex and The City DVDs for Christmas or my birthday. He loved it when he bought the wrong one and had to exchange it for a different one. I don't think he will be buying the movie DVD for me for Christmas this year. I think I pushed my luck on the last one. I am so thankful that Angel and Jay get along so well. I don't know what I would have done otherwise.
I used a paper lunch sack for the tree. After I cut the shape freehand, I crumbled up the paper for a crinkled look and to add texture and dimension, then used a dauber to put a little green and brown ink throughout the tree. Because Close To My Heart stamp sets are acrylix it makes it easy to line up the stamps like I did here. I linked the monkeys together by their hands or tails. Of course the monkeys deserved the googly eyes...makes them all the more adorable. The leaves come from the same stamp set.
Every time I look at this card it brings a smile to my face...how about you?

Simple little note of thanks...

2008-11-10T06:21:00.000-08:00

WOW, another simple card. I have been thinking about this for awhile now and I finally did it. I used my Stylized Flowers embossing folder on the green cardstock. The butterflies are a Martha Stewart punch. Ribbon from Michael's and the sentiment is from Say it in Style from Close To My Heart.
I needed another thank you card for a friend who got me a subscription to Bark, a dog magazine, for my birthday. Lots of neat info in the magazine.
Well, I did it...I finished my Thanksgiving cards. Remember how I said Jay was going to help me? Well, he didn't. Unless you consider stamping our address stamp on the envelopes and folding 20 circle punches in half (one of a million steps in this project) helping. Boy, he is in for it with our Christmas cards. I may make him to all of them...naw!!! I am too picky.
Have a great Monday!

Hope

2008-11-08T06:33:00.000-08:00

I just saw this card in my collection of photos. I made this card last month, which was Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I have been fortunate that breast cancer has not touched my family, but I do have family friends that have conquered this disease with grace.
Last month as I was cruising through all the blogs I follow and I came across a blog that had a card similar to this. I am not sure which blog is was since it was over a month ago. So, if you are the person I used for inspiration for this card, please let me know so I can give you credit.
I used Divine Swirls embossing folder in my Cuttlebug. I then just cut a strip of paper and colored it in using my stickles. The problem with this card is that the pinks don't match. But I am hoping that since I just placed a huge order for new ink pads from Close To My Heart that will not happen again.

Simplicity is the key...

2008-11-05T06:57:00.000-08:00

It is the day after our election day and I am so proud of our country and I look toward to the future with hope and optimism.
I made this card using the Snowflake embossing folder on my Cuttlebug. The sentiment is from the Wonderful Season stamp set from Close To My Heart. The red ribbon is Stampin' Up...I bought it over 5 years ago and finally broke down and used it. I like the way the green adds another element of color on a simple white card. I am such a traditionalist...I love red and green for holidays. This card in the running as our Christmas card. I am going to let Jay decide, since he does help make them.

A few more pumpkins for you to enjoy

2008-11-02T20:39:00.000-08:00

I made this adorable card at the Stampin' Up card workshop I attended last weekend. Since everything is from Stampin' Up you will have to take a peek at their catalog. If you are in need of a Stampin' Up demonstrator, please let me know since I know two fabulous ladies who are demonstrators. I hope you enjoyed my little card.
We are fast approaching my favorite holiday...Thanksgiving. Please take a moment in these next hectic weeks to remember all you are thankful for this season. Now is the time to appreciate everyone in your life and let them know how special they are to you.

Cutie Pie

2008-10-30T19:08:00.000-07:00

Ok, here is another sweet treat for Halloween. I have seen these around the various blogs I visit and at Splitcoasterstampers.com. I am not sure where I originally found her so I cannot give that person credit. Ok, I do know that the people who have made these typically have all the Stampin' Up punches...I don't so I had to improvise. Be patient with my directions.
Two black circle scallops (1 3/4"), 2 white circles (1/2"), 2 black circles (1/4"...typical hole punch size), 1 pink or red circle (1/8"), 2 black squares (1 1/2"), and 2 purple, pink, red, etc., squares (1 1/4"). Ok, all I did next was to cut the squares (black and other color) in half at a diagonal to make triangles. Then I cut a "V" out of the squares. So basically you are making the legs look like triangles, the base is black and the top of it is your other color. Take one of your black scallop punch outs and place it on your work station, then put a delicious York peppermint pattie on top of it using a glue dot. As for the top, I put the eyes together and then attached them and the nose to the body. Then I put the legs together and attached them to the body. Using another glue dot place it on the body and attach the body to the peppermint pattie. Have I confused you yet? If you do not understand check out www.splitcoaststampers.com and I am sure someone will have done a MUCH better job of explaining it.
I think she is a little cutie and you should try to make her. If you mess up you get to eat the sweet treat. That is a win win in my book.

So sweet your teeth will hurt

2008-10-30T18:54:00.000-07:00

I told you he was sweet, right? But I didn't mention how darn cute he was. Well, I saw this little guy on Kim's blog, www.clearlyinspired.blogspot.com, this morning and absolutely fell in love with him. I raced home this afternoon to make him.
He is pretty easy, so check out Kim's blog because she has a great little video that teaches you how to do this. The only made two changes, I didn't use twill (I don't have any) and I told an extra strip (Kim tells you to tear 2 strips on both sides, I did 3). Oh, you cannot see the best part...the mummy is surrounding a Hershey's chocolate bar. Oh my gosh! I told you he was Cute and Sweet. You do have enough time to make him for the special people in your life as their treat for Halloween...my special person doesn't eat chocolate. He took me about 15 mins, but that was because I didn't know what I was doing.

Uber Simple Chirstmas Card

2008-10-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

Ok, if I remember correctly this is my first Christmas card posting. I used my snowflake Cuttlebug embossing folder and then used some light blue chalk to highlight the impressions. The tag is Curly Label Punch Bundle from Stampin' Up. Of course the ribbon and paper are from Michael's. You know I am all about simple and this card fits that to a T.
My goal was to post some cute little Halloween favors I have seen on SCS (Splitcoasterstampers.com), but the battery in my camera is dead at the moment. Jay used it last weekend to video tape a 15 sec segment for a cooking show I submitted a question to. I will keep you posted if I am actually going to be on the show. Well, anyway, after 30 mins of recording (takes and retakes) and the fact that Jay didn't recharge my battery you can see why the battery was dead. This afternoon I will take photos and possibly post them. WOW!! That would be 3 posts in 3 days. I better slow down.
Have a fabulous day.

UGH!!!

2008-10-28T19:41:00.000-07:00

Well, let me start off by saying that I am sorry that I do not have any artwork to share. But let me explain. I took today off of work so I could go to the doctors in the afternoon and not have Maddie crated all day. I was going to sleep in, work out, get a pedicure, do a little shopping, stop by Magnolia to say Hi to friends, go to the drs, and then home. Well, some of that happened, but truth be told, I really should have just locked myself in the house and not come out.
1. I accidentally set my alarm, so I woke up at 6am.
2. The park Maddie and I were walking to this morning for her morning business had the sprinklers going.
3. I wanted a little food before I went to the gym. I found a nutrition bar, but I remembered that it tasted better when heated...well, next time I will pay attention to the wrapper. It was foil and shrunk up around the bar. So long bar.
4. After my work out I needed to back out of the parking spot, but instead of R I shifted into D. There was a lovely Acura car in front of me. Good thing there was a parking bump so I didn't hit the car.
5. I decided to take Maddie to day care in case my dr appointment went long. I spent TWENTY minutes looking for her collar. Yep, you read it correctly, TWENTY. No, it was not around her neck.
6. I dropped two bottles of shampoo on my toe (the one I had surgery on a few months ago) and chipped the nail polish and limped for a good 10 minutes.
All of this happened before noon. My afternoon was better, but I didn't want to chance it. So, I thought it might be best if I was not in close contact with sharp objects. Therefore I don't have any artwork. But, I will have new stuff tomorrow. I will show you one of the new cards I made on Sunday.
Tomorrow is a new day.

More pumpkins...

2008-10-27T06:49:00.000-07:00

Remember how I was organizing and cleaning my crafting area and came across some long lost cards, well in my discoveries was this pumpkin I did during the summer. My friend, Shemaine, did a pumpkin like this using stickles and I LOVED it so I copied. I LOVE this pumpkin with all its sparkles. The scallop punch is from a LSS and the circle punch is from Stampin' Up. You cannot see the ribbon very well, but it has leaves and pumpkins embossed in gold along it and I got it from Michaels.
I may have one more harvest card up my sleeve and then I promise Christmas. Hmmm, maybe I shouldn't promise that. How about I try to do Christmas cards? That at least sounds do-able.

Just moved...

2008-10-26T16:49:00.000-07:00

March of 2007 I moved from my condo of seven years to my new home. I had to let all my friends and family know what my new address would be, so therefore I had make quite a few of these cards. The stamp set is Welcome to the Neighborhood from Close To My Heart. The card to be fast and simple and I definitely achieved that. Even though they were simple I like the packing string on the top. Anyone who has ever moved know what a pain in the bum it is. I am hoping to move one more time into my dream home in my dream city with my dream husband and doggie...I already have the last two.
Well, I mentioned on Friday that this weekend was going to be a crafting one, but things changed. The card making class on Friday night was canceled, but the card class today was a blast. I made so many cute cards that I cannot wait to post them. Stay tuned because I have a feeling that some new cards are in near future.

Flutter By

2008-10-24T07:35:00.000-07:00

Ok, here is another one of those cards that I found last week. I searched and searched for the specifics on it, but I could only come up with the stamp set Flutter By from Close To My Heart. Sorry for my lack of information. As I look at the left side of the card, I love the layers of colors and images.
Well, I wish everyone a wonderful weekend and happy crafting. I have two crafting events this weekend. Tonight my friend, Shemaine, is hosting her monthly card making club and then Sunday Shemaine and I will be attending a Stampin' Up workshop (don't tell since we are both CTMH consultants). I am hoping to learn lots of new techniques. I will post my crafts this weekend.

Shoes Shoes and More Shoes

2008-10-21T22:12:00.000-07:00

What girl doesn't love a pair of shoes? Seriously, I look in my closet and see the countless pairs of shoes and I get a warm tingly feeling all over. I think shoes provide me with a comfort that no matter what my weight is I can still have fashionable, trendy, cute shoes. So, I will sit here and enjoy all my shoes...from my numerous Nine West boots to my little black strappy heels that I bought in London over 10 years ago that still kill my feet, but look so adorable. Ok, enough about my shoe obsession.
The stamps on this card are from Close To My Heart stamp set called Totally Chic. I can tell I did this card a few years ago since it look too plain...need a little embossing, bling, glitter, etc.
Go out and buy a pair of shoes and think of me.

Totally Chic

2008-10-19T20:00:00.000-07:00

Well, as I was cleaning (ok, just straightening up my mess) my scrapbook area and I came across about 6 cards I didn't know I had. Amazing what treasures we find.
This card was one of my favorites and I think I will have to brush the dust off this stamp set and use it again. It is Totally Chic from Close To My Heart. Gosh! I totally wish I could wear this dress. The red paper on the right was found at LSS (Local Scrapbook Store) in the clearance box and I just loved the deep embossing on it. The sheer white ribbon added a little texture and dimension.
I did take some time out this weekend and work on a few Christmas cards...egads! I said it...Christmas cards. I would like to welcome home my mom and Irene. They made it home safe and in much need of sleep. Party Animals! =)

Pumpkins galore

2008-10-17T07:04:00.000-07:00

Of course I had to do yet another harvest card, so here it is. My pumpkin harvest embossing folder came in handy for this simple, colorful card. For the sentiment attachment I use Stampin' Up Curly Label Bundle, but the sentiment is from Close To My Heart September Stamp of the Month Treasure of Life. Of course my ribbon is a Michael's purchase.
I told myself I wasn't allowed to buy any more ribbon until I used up 5 rounds, well, the other day I broke down and bought one. Shhhhh! Don't tell Jay. Maybe in the next couple of days I will show you the handiwork of my wonderful husband.
I think I may be done posting Autumn cards. Yesterday I worked on a Christmas card and it kinda got me thinking about doing more, but I am still not sure I can take the leap.

Simple elegance

2008-10-15T22:12:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I posted something similar to this card, but it was a set of three Thank Yous. This one is even easier, if that is even possible. I used Leafy Branch embossing folder and my Cuttlebug. The photo does not show the ribbon too well, but it has bronze leaves throughout it. I thought it was perfect with this particular embossing folder. It would make a nice sympathy or get well card, but I think I will use it as one of my Thanksgiving cards. I hope all is well with everyone...all 5 people who read this blog (2 of them are in NY having a blast).

Don'tcha just love pumpkins?

2008-10-12T19:39:00.000-07:00

Ok, I know "don'tcha" is not a word. That is why I am a science teacher. This is such a simple card and I think that is one of the reasons I like it. I actually got the idea from a post on Splitcoast Stampers from CharmWarm called So Thankful on September 29, 2008.
I used Pumpkin Harvest embossing folder on my Cuttlebug. The ribbon and paper are from Michael's. The stamp set is Harvest Memories from Close To My Heart. If you look real close (go ahead and put your head on your computer screen, no one will notice), you might see that the staple is brownish orange.
I have spent a good chunk of my August, September and October on Halloween and Thanksgiving cards, when should I start dabbling in Christmas cards? Pumpkins and Christmas? Hmmm, I don't think so. I think I will continue on a few more Autumn cards. I just cannot resist the Harvest season.

Falling Leaves

2008-10-10T20:41:00.000-07:00

I have been on a search for Thanksgiving, Harvest, and/or Autumn cards, but none have tickled my fancy until I came up with this one.
The stamp set, Nature's Vein, is from Close To My Heart, and the sentiment is another set from Close To My Heart called Summer's Wave. I used Summer's Wave for the background. I like the way this card turned out, even if cutting out the individual leaves were a pain in the butt.
I am still on the look out for more Harvest cards and I have one more to try out. One of them will actually be our Thanksgiving cards, but I'm not sure which.

Hmmmmm

2008-10-09T07:20:00.000-07:00

Well, this is one idea that didn't quite make it, but I thought I would post it anyway. I will work on the changes I see with it. The ribbon is a little overwhelming, but its from Michael's. The basket and pumpkins are punches from Impress Stamps and Martha Stewart, respectively. The sentiment is from Close To My Heart stamp set, Say it with Style. The more and more I look at this card the more I see I need help taking pictures as well.
Mom and Irene, have a great time in New York. =)

Spider Web

2008-10-06T20:46:00.001-07:00

Sparkly! This card is not exactly how I pictured in my head, but that's ok. I still think it is cute. I am not sure if you can see everything...I used my SpiderWeb Cuttlebug embossing folder, but that wasn't enough so I added some glitter (ok, I added a lot of glitter). I used stickles to touch up the areas that I missed. Then I attached these cute little spiders from K&Company that I picked up at Michael's on clearance. I still need to add the sentiment to the inside and decorate its envelope.
I was able to do about 3 cards tonight, but the next post will be Wednesday. Stay tuned...=)

Haunted House

2008-10-05T20:36:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know, it has been a looong time since I posted. I really do not have a good excuse, nor do I have a bad excuse. I just have not crafted in a long time. It felt great this weekend to get back at it. I made part of a Christmas gift for my mom (I cannot post it since she is one of 4 that actually reads my blog), I finished a scrapbook for Jay's friends daughter whose 1 year birthday is coming up next month, and I did this card. I know it isn't much, but I got back on the saddle so to speak.
This card has been on my mind a lot lately. The design has changed quite a bit, but for the most part it is how I thought it would be. I used one of my new Cuttlebug embossing folders, Haunted House on black card stock. A while back I found the star paper at Joanne's and I liked it so it made its way into my basket. As for the ghost. He got picked up yesterday at Michael's. I still have a few of his friends remaining for future cards or projects. Let me tell you a little something about him. He is actually flying off the card with the help of some wire that I coiled into a spring. Hmmmm, pretty crafty, huh?
I do have a few more ideas floating around in my head and I think I will make them tomorrow when I get back from school.
I want to take a moment to wish my mom and all her girlfriends safe travel to New York on Friday. They are cruising the entire state. They have so much fun and I get to hear stories about it all, not to mention the cool souvenirs she brings back for Jay and me...hint hint hint! =) Naw! Actually I only want them to be safe and have a blast. So, have fun Irene, LaVerne, Joan, and Penny.

Our Celebrity

2008-09-30T19:24:00.000-07:00

Well, I am not sure how many of you know, but Maddie has her picture in a dog magazine. Both Jay and I were so surprised to be flipping through the magazine and see our baby girl looking back at us. I have about 10 copies of the magazine, so if anyone is dying to see her I can send you a magazine and she will even sign it, if you ask.
This is NOT the picture of her from the magazine, but I love her smile anyway. She looks mean, huh? Good, that is what we want all the bad people to think. But those of you who have had the pleasure of one Maddie's playful jumps, wet kisses, or coy nudges knows she is as precious as they come. Maybe I am a little bias, so feel free to ask Jay. Actually, Jay and Maddie are so close it is ridiculous. If Jay is in the room I don't exist. She loves her daddy.
I guess every little girl loves her daddy and Maddie is no exception.

Many Thanks

2008-09-25T21:25:00.000-07:00

Oh My Gosh! Can I just tell you how easy these cards were to make? A Cuttlebug + embossing folder + cardstock + sentiment stamp + ink + ribbon = simple, fast card in a pinch. I needed 3 thank you cards for family members who surprised me with a birthday gift and whoopie pies last week. Well, they are actually Jay's family (Aunt Donna Marie, Theresa, and Simone).
The inspiration for this card was on Kim's blog (www.clearlyinspired.blogspot.com). She called them her 5 minute cards. I LOVE them. I cannot wait to make more. Have I mentioned how easy they are to make? Well, now that I have posted them I can actually send them out.
Mom, notice the embossing on the cards? That is the Cuttlebug.

just because

2008-09-24T19:48:00.000-07:00

Here is another card from the Just Because stamp set from Close To My Heart. This card follows the Originals Watchband recipe. I like the colors of this set. I am always so critical of my work so as I look at it now I see a few boo boos, but they are things I can live with.
My goal is to have new cards posted tomorrow. I made three new Thank You cards and I am just waiting for my backdrop to dry.

Thinking of you!

2008-09-22T19:18:00.000-07:00

Well, I am not completely back into scrapping or card making since I have a few more things to finish up on my paper, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel...I just hope it isn't a train.
I want to take this moment to thank my wonderful husband, Jay, for a great birthday. He took off half day from work and bought me Red Velvet Cupcakes from Sprinkles (a famous cupcake shop in Beverly Hills). They were very yummy. I still have one more to eat. For dinner we went to P.F. Chang's. My dinner choice changed a bit since we have been together. I think my first birthday we were together I wanted to go to my favorite place...Rubio's.
Ok, I had made this card a few weeks ago with another kit that I didn't know I ordered from Close To My Heart. The stamp set is Just Because and I must admit I like how girlie girl it is. This kit is just like the other as it includes all the supplies and recipes you need to make fabulous cards. This is just one. I love the simplicity of it. The recipe is from the Originals called Set the Stage. I am looking forward to making a few more cards from this set.
Well, I want to thank those of you who leave me comments (Shemaine). I appreciate the encouraging words you give me.

Treasure Life

2008-09-16T22:06:00.000-07:00

I have seen some amazing cards using this stamp set called Treasure Life, which is Close To My Heart's September Stamp of the Month. I pretty much used anything I could find in my scrapbooking area...Garden green ink from CTMH, ribbon and metal tag from the depths of my supplies (another purchase from the Scrapbook Expo). I did use my dauber to ink of the sides of the yellow paper to give it a rustic look.
Well, I am going to take a brief hiatus from posting here. For the rest of the week I am burying myself in my paper. It is due October 3 and I want to be able to hand deliver it to my professor next week. I am almost there...ha ha ha. Who am I kidding? The paper is written, but it is all the accessory parts that go with the project that I am lagging behind on. So, I promise that by Monday I will have a new post because my goal is to have everything done on Sunday. Wish me luck.

Banana Nut Bread

2008-09-14T21:05:00.000-07:00

I just want to start off by saying that I love to bake. The very first thing I was taught to bake was banana nut bread by my grandma. I am not sure how long ago that was, but from that moment on I had a love of this comforting, warm, traditional bread.
I remember during the Christmas season my dad would "hire" me to bake bread for him to give to his co-workers for Christmas. He would buy ALL the ingredients and supplies and I will bake about 15 loaves of this delicious bread. The Christmas after my dad died I still bake a few loaves of bread for his co-workers, but when I delivered them it did not have the same feel. I don't think they understood what I was doing. Oh well.
In the past few weeks I have come across some slightly over ripe bananas that I would never eat by themselves so I decided to do the next best thing. Break out the old recipe and bake some banana nut bread. Every time I mash the bananas or measure out the vanilla I am overcome by the memories of both my grandma (who taught me to cook and gave me this family recipe) and my father (who thoroughly enjoyed eating the bread...warmed slightly with a smear of butter on it ((and sometimes a little peanut butter))).
It is these memories that makes me love being in the kitchen cooking and baking for loved ones. I am not going to lie to you this banana nut bread recipe is the best in the world, but I will take the recipe to the grave with me...sorry. You will just have to find your own family recipes and memories.
By the way, Jay loves this bread too...not heated, no butter, no hint of peanut butter, just plain and tonight...with a stick of string cheese. "To each his own." by Leonardo Sciascia (novelist)

Grateful

2008-09-13T14:57:00.000-07:00

I am sure you have gathered by now that I LOVE pumpkins. Not sure why. Maybe it is because they are orange, my favorite color. Maybe because they are a symbol of my favorite season, Autumn. Or could it be that I love the way pumpkin smells. I think it is all of the above.
Well, as I was dong my tri-weekly review of my favorite blogs I came across Gina's site (blog.ginakdesigns.com) and I found a few cards of her that I thought I could duplicate, but only tweak them up to make them mine.
I used my Swiss dots cuttlebug embossing folder to added some texture to the card. The pumpkin stamp is from the Harvest Memories stamp set from Close To My Heart and the sentiment is from the Treasured Life set, also from Close To My Heart (September Stamp of the Month)...oh wait, the two brads are also Close To My Heart. As for everything else, it is a hodgepodge of sources...paper and ribbon (left over from my wedding supplies) from Michael's and my colored pencils are from Stampin' Up.

Life's a Jungle...

2008-09-10T19:45:00.000-07:00

I have been dying to post this picture. This was my favorite card that I did from the Close To My Heart Life's a Jungle stamp set. I had to wait on this one since I sent it to my mom for her birthday, which is today. Happy Birthday, Mom!!! I love you.
My layouts for this stamp set were pretty much the same, but I added the Cuttlebug embossing to the black card stock. Even though you cannot see them, but I put silver stickles for her eyes. I also colored the flower in her ear with my ink pad (I am thinking it was Close To My Heart Hollyhock). A little pop dot lifts her off the card for a little 3-D affect. The two embellishments on the top corners are from All My Memories, Daisy Accents. I picked them up a few years ago when my mom and I ventured to the Scrap Expo in Orange County. The ribbon is another one from Michaels. The sentiment on the inside says, "You're Hip"

Penguin Dude

2008-09-08T22:30:00.001-07:00

Isn't he adorable and doesn't that Popsicle look yummy. As promised, Penguin Dude. I did the same layout, but different paper, red stickles for the Popsicle, and frosted blue on his swim suit (although I don't think you can see it very well). I hope you enjoyed my cute little couple.

Penguin Chick

2008-09-06T21:57:00.000-07:00

This week was Christmas. I received a few things from various places for various projects. You will just need to return to see the new things. I needed something quick and easy and this little cutie fit the bill. I ordered her (A Shore Thing Collection - Penguin chick) and her boyfriend (from the same collection- Penguin dude) from A Cherry On Top (a site suggested by my friend Shemaine).
I saw a card similar to this one on bigideasfromalittlegirl.blogspot.com, but I changed everything about it...the stamp, ribbon, bow, colors, paper, etc. I had this paper from our Hawaii wedding supplies, I am just not sure where I got it. I used it to make shirt invites for our rehearsal get-together, but I found this scrap to be perfect. I used my lovely circle scalloped punch and Creative Memories circle template. I am not sure if you can see the stickles on the flower in her hair, but I thought a little pink flower gave her a punch of color (stickle color is fruit punch...get it?!).
I cannot wait to play with all my new things, but I do have my BIG research paper due in less than a month, so if I do not get a chance to blog every day, please cut me some slack. Ok, mom?!?

Parasailing in Hawaii

2008-09-04T20:30:00.000-07:00

I finally got around to scrap booking a few pictures from our honey moon and of course the first one was not even with my husband. I knew I had to scrapbook this page first because it was one of the most memorable moments in my life. I have always wanted to parasail, but lacked the courage and confidence to do it. One day while in Hawaii I mentioned to Angel my desire to go parasailing and he said he was game since Jay has a worse fear than I do about heights.
Angel and I had a blast and Jay was our photographer on the boat. I am so glad he joined us. It gave me added support and encouragement just by having him near.
I have been racking my brain trying to remember where I got this paper, but nothing is coming to me...must be old age. I want to say it was Close To My Heart, but I am not sure. Anyway, the letter was done with stickers as was the parasailing sticker. Since I think I have horrible penmanship I typically type my journaling if it is longer than a sentence or a few bullets.
Well, I have a lot more fun times in Hawaii to scrapbook, so keep checking back.

More parasailing.

2008-09-04T20:24:00.000-07:00

This is the second page of my two page Parasailing layout. I really didn't do individual journaling since it was all done in the first page little story (which you cannot read since it is too small). You can click on the image to enlarge it to get a better view. Picture in upper left corner shows how far we are away from the boat. Upper right corner shows a plane behind us making it seem like we are going to collide with it. Bottom left photo is when we got dunked in the ocean (where just moments ago Angel had said he saw a shark) and the bottom right is just after we were dunked...dripping wet.

Yummy cupcakes

2008-09-02T20:05:00.000-07:00

On one of the many blogs I check out, I saw this stamp set, cupcake affair, from Verve stamps. I used fruit punch stickles for the frosting and colored the flowers with colored pencils. My lovely round scalloped punch came in handy to mat the yummy cupcakes. I was going for a pink and black look, but I think I may have missed my mark. Oh well. I love the way the sheer white ribbon bow on the top looks along with the scalloped bottom edge with the ribbon threaded through it.
I think next time I will go with a white and black color combo with a dash of red. Hmmm, just thinking about it reminds me of the red velvet cake my mom would bake for me every birthday. Although every year she would forget a different ingredient, but I loved it no matter what.

More cupcakes...

2008-09-02T19:58:00.000-07:00

Please excuse the picture. I didn't have a chance to retake it since I gave it to someone for their birthday. I was trying to keep all the backgrounds the same...sorry.
I thought I would try something a little different. I used frosted lace stickles on this one, but I put some beads on the "frosting" (they kinda bled) and around the card. I added some little flowers with brads in the middle. Behind the purple cardstock is a pop dot and the ribbon is another one of Michaels ribbon deals. It looks so festive...makes me want to eat it...if only it was chocolate.

Picket fence

2008-09-01T19:53:00.000-07:00

I saw this template posted by Deneen Treble on the Close to My Heart bulletin boards and fell in love with it. You can also find it on her blog (apathofpaper.blogspot.com). I altered the design by adding pumpkins (love those cute little things) cut from my Sizzix and some green swirls (also cut from my Sizzix) and I gave the fence a little brown distressing ink around the edges. I haven't found a stamp with the greeting I want, but I am sure I will find it somewhere among my Thanksgiving stamps.
I have used up all the cards I had in reserve so I guess I better get busy making new cards to post on here. Or I will post a scrapbook page or two of mine and Jay's travels.

From Me to You

2008-08-31T10:00:00.001-07:00

Have you ever placed an order not really knowing what to expect, but when the package is delivered and you delve into it you think "Dang! I ordered this? I kinda like it." Well, that is exactly what happened when my Close to My Heart order came and inside was the September Promotion to celebrate National Stamping Month... "From Me to You".
There are a few things I LOVE about this promotion package. There are times when I get into a rut and make the same style of cards over and over again (see my post of Life's a Jungle). With this promotion it included ALL the supplies needed (stamp set, card base, pre-measured and cut cardstock, ribbon, brads, pop dots, envelopes, sandpaper, sample ink pads, and a lovely recipe book)to make 16 original cards (2 of each of the 8 designs) . Within the recipe book are tips on how to do specific techniques used on the cards, such as sanding, second generation stamping, and paper curling, just to name a few. So, what I decided to do was to take a peak and make a few of the cards and leave the rest for my mother to try when she visits in November. The following are the three cards I made.
This first one was fun because I really liked the random stamping (although I really do not know how random it all is) of the sunflower and the hollyhock cardstock. The three flowers toward the top look like little button attached to the ribbon. During the entire process I never really had to think and create, just read and do what the recipe book told me to do. Perfect for a Sunday morning when thinking is the last thing on my mind.

From Me to You

2008-08-31T09:57:00.001-07:00

This second card was simple, but I am not sure about the curved title at the bottom. It almost looks like I didn't use enough adhesive. I like the paper piercing technique in the middle of the little flowers on the sunflower cardstock. I am also a BIG fan of pop dots, which were used on the big flower.

From Me to You

2008-08-31T09:52:00.000-07:00

This final card is probably my favorite of the three. I love the way the brads and ribbon add just a little something that takes the card from being boring and simple to whimsical and fun. The most difficult part of this card was cutting out the flower, but even that wasn't so bad.

Praxis...

2008-08-29T22:53:00.000-07:00

Four weeks ago I took the Praxis exam for the school guidance counseling masters program. It is a national exam...I refer to it as my national board exam. After 4 long weeks of waiting for the results, they arrived yesterday. I will admit that I was hesitant to open the letter because I was not confident at all that I passed (neither were the other girls in my program who also took the test with me). I passed. I was so excited that I started to cry. A huge feeling of relief swept over me and the pressure of the Praxis is a thing of the past...thank goodness. To celebrate Jay took me to dinner at a local nice restaurant, Houstons, tonight. Sorry that I am using my blog for tooting my own horn, but damn I am proud of myself.

Life's a Jungle

2008-08-29T16:25:00.001-07:00

I love this stamp set, Life's a Jungle, from Close To My Heart. It was the July 2007 Stamp of the Month. I was so eager to use this set that I raced to make the cards and they came out very simple and basic and need a little something. This would be a great starting block for someone to let their imagination run.

The 3 inch Paper Shapers scalloped circle punch was a new purchase from a LSS. I hole punched the little dots from each scallop with my 1/8 inch hole punch. The ribbons were from Michael's and the brown card stock was embossed with my Swiss Dots embossing folder from Cuttlebug. The sentiment inside says "No Lion, You're The Best!" I love the innocent look on the lions face. Don't think this is the last time you will see a post using this stamp set.

Life's a Jungle

2008-08-28T22:09:00.001-07:00

Like I mentioned above, these cards are very, very simple. They lack something, but they will do in a pinch. I like this little guy. In my scraps of paper I found an 8x8 piece of this green graphic paper. The alligator came from the Life's a Jungle stamp set from Close To My Heart. I used pop dots to get a little 3-D effect.

Halloween IV

2008-08-27T20:20:00.001-07:00

This might be my favorite card (or at least a close second with the martini one). I saw a card similar to this in a card magazine (I believe it was Card Trends 2007 or 2006) and decided to do my take on it. The "Happy Haunting" stamp is from another Stampin' Up set, but the hat and shoes are from the beloved dollar bin at Michael's. The ribbon is also from Michael's. I colored the band on the hat and her socks with colored pencils, but the buckles on her shoes were done in orange stickles.

Halloween III

2008-08-27T20:17:00.001-07:00

I absolutely love anything I can put googly eyes on and this stamp set from Stampin' Up is no exception. I kept this card very simple and just added some color to the "characters" along with their googly eyes. Oh, I also used pop dots to lift the objects off the page to give it a little 3-D effect.

Halloween II

2008-08-27T20:12:00.000-07:00

Halloween is my least favorite holiday, but for some odd reason it is the holiday I have the most stamps for. The haunted house stamp is from Stampin' Up (2000), but I am not sure of the name of the set. The haunted house sign on the bottom left is from the dollar bin at Micheal's as is the yellowish glitter ribbon. To add just a touch of color I used stickles for the pumpkins and also for the ghosts, but you cannot quite tell in the picture. I thought the gold star paper background added to the night theme.

Halloween Cards

2008-08-27T19:53:00.000-07:00

Well, here they are...a few of my Halloween cards I have been working on. I bought this first stamp of the martini glass in the dollar bin at Michael's for a New Year's card, but I saw an idea of this in a craft magazine and decided it was perfect for my girlfriends on Halloween. To add a little sparkle I used orange stickels around the edge of the glass to symbolize sugar. The embossing on the card is courtesy of my Cuttlebug (divine swirls) and the ribbon is another dollar special from Michael's. The "eat, drink, and be Scary!" stamp is from Impress Rubber Stamp.

Introduction

2008-08-25T22:26:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone. Welcome to my blog. I hope you enjoy reading my thoughts and browsing my ideas.

I welcome you to use my artwork for inspiration or to help get your creative juices flowing, but please do not COPY or use MY artwork for publication, contest submissions or for selling purposes. Thank you.

Let me tell you a little about myself. My name is Janene and I live in Los Angeles, CA with my wonderful husband and our baby...of the four legged kind. I have many hobbies such a scrapbooking, card making, reading, traveling, cooking, and working out. I have also been a teacher for 14 years and am currently working on completing my masters degree to be a high school counselor. I am in the final stretch of my coursework and am scheduled to graduate in December and have everything finished by February.

My goal is to post thoughts and/or artwork once or twice a week. Please be patient with me as I am learning how to be a blogger.