Quarterly Meeting stuff.. and cards...

So, Like I posted earlier.. I had my quarterly meeting on Saturday.. and we made fun stuff.. This is the Christmas tree we made using the Big Shot and the pennant die.. VERY cute... and really easy.. OOPS.. I just realized that my picture doesn't have the little "rug" under it.. we made a "rug" for the tree to stand on as well.. you will just have to imagine it..







And I wondered what the heck would I do with the Felt Flurries.. well.. here we took 3 of them and added a brad to the middle. We actually added the silver cord on it as well.. but as you can see, mine is gone.. didn't like the cord on it.. but thought I could add this to a card.. very cute idea..

And then this is the card we made.. We used the new scallop edge punch.. I am glad that we used it. I was scared of getting it.. but after using it.. well.. I now HAVE to get it. I love the idea of the scallop on the edge with the color coming up.

Then I get a call from my friend Dawn.. "I am putting in my order for some cards!".. I need a birthday card for a guy... and 2 thank you cards... Yeah.. right, get right on that...
Well this first card is a rip off from Mish's site.. I thought it was cute.. so well.. it's my version.. but still a "CASE"..

While we at the meeting, one of the other demonstrators showed us the brayer but not on glossy paper like we were all "taught". This is on plain card stock!! The colors are great!! and not nearly as messy!!! I had this ribbon, and thought that the colors actually matched

the dots!! so.. well.. I liked it.. hope that Dawn does too!! (And.. too bad if she doesn't... hee hee)

As I have said before, I do have a hard time making masculine cards. I guess it is because I have Hannah.. I mean I don't have to make many.. But I found some old patterned paper and like the colors, thought that it looked manly... and well.. this is what I came up with. Actually I sort of liked it.. Not too flashy.. but nice..

That's all I got right now.. Have a great night!!

shawn

Lost and Found

Well, the other day I said I had started a new book.. Lost and Found. Well, I finished it tonight. It was really good.. It is about a mother and daughter who go on a "game show" sort of like Amazing Race.. and what they find out about themselves.. Each chapter is written from one of the contestant point of view.

Ok, you could figure out what was going to happen, but still a good book in the long run..

And YES Karen, I am holding onto it for you to read..

shawn

Quarterly meeting

Saturday I had my quarterly meeting. Lisa Z who holds the meetings is wonderful! She allows who ever to demo, talk, etc.
These 2 cute little bird houses were made by one of the gals.. She does these all the time. This was a first for bird houses.. they are on little stationary boxes. VERY cute..






And last year, she did this wonderful house for Halloween. I hope that she brings her "gingerbread" house next meeting so I can get pictures of that too! She makes the patterns up herself.. TONS of work into these!!



Lisa was showing off some of her ideas for the Decor Elements. She had tons of ideas.. I really liked this one.
I haven't done anything with them yet, but after the meeting, I am really ready to order some and play!

I will post the Christmas tree that we made and the card, and we used the felt snowflakes too!

shawn

Book

Karen had read this book, and posted it on her blog.. so when I needed a new book to read, I thought I would get this one..

Well... it took me forever to read.. Not that I didn't like it.. It was an okay book. It just didn't invite me in.

I didn't give up.. I read it, it got better as it went on.

That's about all on the book front.. I did start a new book.. will post more about it soon.. It seems to be an easier read.. and so far.. I keep thinking about Karen as I read it.. (think Amazing Race!)

more later

shawn

Inchie Christmas Card

Have you heard of Inchies?? YUP.. I am sure that you have, but in case you haven't well.. they are just that.. they are squares that are 1"x1". You are suppose to stamp an image and punch it out.. but, I saw this idea on a catalog that came to the office.. It was much different, but the idea stuck with me to make it out of inchies.. You can't really tell, but the 2nd row, right side green square, and the lower left red square are actually glossy. I used Crystal Effects on them. The top right square actually has dazzling diamonds on it, and the lower middle one is the fine glitter.. then it's beads on the top left square. I thought it was really cool.. I showed it to Pat.. his remark was, "Is that our Christmas card?" OMG.. NO!! I don't think that I would want to make that many of these... Unless I could figure out a way to make it much easier...

So I am going to try to keep stamping.. I am not sure how long that will last.. My UPS man is suppose to come tomorrow with an order. I didn't get a lot.. My paper for my Christmas cards.. ribbon, a punch... new papers... not a lot.. but it is still fun to see what I get..

Have a great night.. It's Thursday.. so I don't have to work tomorrow!! YEAH!!! YEAH!! YEAH!!!
shawn

New Show!!

I admit, I am a sucker for a good looking guy.. Hey who isn't?? Well, this good looking guy happens to be Simon Baker. I first fell in love with him while he was in the tv series "The Guardian" back in the early 2001!.. Well he has a new show out.. "The Mentalist"! I had forgotten about it. Really, if I get to watch some tv other than Army Wives, I am doing great! But I found this show last night! I have to say.. I really really like it! Not totally believable, but a great show. Not tons of blood and guts like CSI (the real one on Thursdays set in Vegas!) but still entertaining with funny parts added.. I think that this one might be a keeper for me..
The crappy thing is that I am starting to get a cold again!! Will have to make some chicken noodle soup again!! It seemed to help last time.. couldn't hurt to try it again...
shawn

What I have been working on...

I really have been doing some cards.. I just don't always post them.. I needed a thank you card today.. so I did this one really fast! It's old paper.. don't even know how old.. and just some scraps of paper..

This is from the new set... Holiday Lineup! I LOVE this set.. When I saw it in the catalog.. I knew I HAD to have it!! The background paper is from the new mini.. and I used the new orange paper!! Lots of coloring!!

Another one from Holiday Line up!! I think they turned out cute.. AGAIN.. A LOT of coloring..

Yesterday when I got home.. I found these!! Pat, my wonderful husband, got me flowers! He knows that work has been tough lately.. and thought this would be a nice thing to do!! He use to bring me flowers every week.. Since I haven't gotten flowers in forever.. it was very nice to get these!! I am so lucky to have him!!

That is what I have been doing.. that and driving Hannah to dance and clarinet lessons! I guess that is what I get!

shawn

Hannah

This is Hannah's 6th grade school picture. We got her pictures on Friday, and the CD came today. The CD has color, black and white and also sepia.. Not sure what I will do with it.. but I guess I was able to put it here...
shawn

Accordion Card??

I have been stamping!! Really I have.. OK, not much, but a little here and there!! I did these little "accordion cards".. One for Halloween, and then one using the new Deck The Halls set from the winter mini.. I am not sure if you call them accordion cards or what.. but I think that they are pretty cute..

This is what they look like stretched out. I did make belly bands for them too.. just no picture of those.. oops!!

Thanks for looking!

shawn

Really.. This is for Dawn...

While I was looking at ICANHASCHEEZBURGER site.. they had this new link for ROFLRASSI which is for celebrity pictures.. and well.. I had to look.. found this and thought of DAWN right away...
shawn

More EYE candy...

Jon Bon Jovi

Need I say more??

shawn

Eye Candy

Well we all have been posting pics of eye candy.. so I thought I would add mine.. I really enjoy looking at Matt Damon!! hmmm...

This was his cover picture when he was People's Sexist Man 2007... again.. hmmm....

shawn

George Carlin's Views on Aging

So Pat sent me this email.. and well.. I thought it was good, and should be shared with others.. so that is what I am doing.. sharing!!

George Carlin's Views on Aging
Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we're kids?
If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited about aging that you think in fractions.
'How old are you?' 'I'm four and a half!'
You're never thirty-six and a half.
You're four and a half, going on five!
That's the key.
You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead.
'How old are you?' 'I'm gonna be 16!'
You could be 13, but hey, you're gonna be 16!
And then the greatest day of your life . You become 21.
Even the words sound like a ceremony . YOU BECOME 21 YESSSS!!!
But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound like bad milk!
He TURNED; we had to throw him out.
There's no fun now, you're Just a sour-dumpling.
What's wrong? What's changed?
You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you're PUSHING 40.
Whoa! Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away.
Before you know it, you REACH 50 and your dreams are gone.
But wait!!!
You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!
So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60.
You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70!
After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!
You get into your 80's and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30 ; you REACH bedtime.
And it doesn't end there.
Into the 90s, you start going backwards; 'I Was JUST 92.
'Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again.
'I'm 100 and a half!'
May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!
HOW TO STAY YOUNG
1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay 'them.'
2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.
3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. 'An idle mind is the devil's workshop' And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.
4. Enjoy the simple things.
5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.
6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.
7. Surround yourself with what you love , whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.
8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.
10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity. AND ALWAYS REMEMBER :Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

shawn

What's Happening In My Life.... (OH wait.. I think I have heard that somewhere before)

My Mom's Birthday was September 11th.. so I did do well and make a card for her. This is what I made. I totally cased it from Kevin's blog. I thought it was great! Loved the colors and all.. She said that she liked it when I called to wish her a Happy Birthday!!

These are 2 of the projects I did at my open house last night! I had a request for the sock monkey... I liked using the new colors for him. It was pretty fun to make. And then the other one is a gift card holder. I used the bulk rub-on with it! Thought that since Christmas is around the corner, well, they might have a use for this.

The other project I did was votive holders. I got them at IKEA and we did rub-on's on those too! I didn't get a picture of the finished product.. hm..

Not a great turn out for the open house, but I did get a couple orders and a couple bookings! So not a total loss!

This morning Hannah had auditions for the Moscow Ballet's Nutcracker. This was her 4th year! She has been a snowflake 2 times and last year she was a party guest and a Russian variation.

This is her with the 70 other girls and boys waiting to go in for the audition.



Anastasia has been in the ballet with Hannah for the last 3 years as well. They love seeing each other each year. It amazes me the friendships that form within this 3 month period.

After having the parents wait in the hallway for 1 1/2 hours, the announcements were made as to what parts each child get.

DRUM ROLL PLEASE.. Hannah was giving the part of Butterfly! She will be dancing on pointe this year! This is HUGE!! She just started pointe in January! The other 3 girls have been on pointe much longer! As you can see, she is the littlest butterfly! But not sure if you can tell the SMILE she has!! This is the part she really wanted!

Can't say how proud we are of her!!

And can't wait to see her in the ballet this year! She will be in 3 performances at the Orpheum Theater in December!




This is Hannah's cupcake that she made when we were in Iowa to visit a couple weeks ago. We just received it in the mail today! It turned out WAY cute.. Better than the one at the shop!!

Well, that is what I have been up to lately! Sorry that I haven't posted a lot lately! I will try to do better!

Hannah wants to stamp, and last I heard Karen wants to come over too.. So I will have some new stuff to post soon!

shawn

Hannah and Dawn

Dawn sent me this picture from last weekend.. thought I would share!

shawn

What I did this weekend.. and Hannah's 1st day!

Well, my Friday started out pretty good.. I have a hummingbird that has decided to come and visit me! I was lucky enough to snap this picture of him feeding.. I wasn't fast enough to snap another one.. but I was glad to get this one.. I keep watching to see if he will come back! My feeder is getting lower, so I know that he is visiting me!

Then we went to Iowa to visit family! Saturday Hannah and I got to spend the day with my BFF Dawn.. Or, as Hannah calls her, her "Fairy Godmother". Saturday we went to Ames, Iowa to shop and eat.. We made our usual stop at Hickory Park. This was the before Hannah spilled her pop all over the table! Which happened right after I took this picture!

After we shopped in Ames, we went back to Marshalltown to Messy Missy's. This is a ceramic studio. Hannah and Dawn made stuff.. Hannah made a cupcake jar, and Dawn made a leaf plate.

The staff at Messy Missy's will now glaze and fire the items, and Dawn will go and pick them up later. I am sure that Hannah's cupcake will get sent up soon! I will put pictures on after I get it! Loads of fun was had!

Then it was off to Dawn and Jeffery's. We got to see the kitties.. OK, we got to see 2 of the kitties! This is Wendell and Eli!

Eli will let Hannah hold him all day.. Wendell will walk by and look at you, might let you touch him but only by accident!

Then Monday Pat and I took Hannah to Valley Fair! I haven't been to VF for a really long time! I usually don't do rides.. and I hate heights.. but some how, they got me on all of the roller coasters! AND Tower Power!! I am not sure how that happened!!



Hannah and Pat went on a few extra rides that I didn't!! gee big surprise there! They even went on an extra water ride! They got just a little wet on this ride!! HAHAHA

But the big news is today! Hannah started school today! 6th grade at a new school! Each year we have been at this house, I have taken her 1st day of school picture here on the deck! A bit more casual today!

The report was she loved school! Loves her classes, loves her teachers! She did seem a bit worried about all the new stuff, but seemed to be handling it well!

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile.. hope this makes up for it!!!

shawn