Sneaky Peak....

Well, I'm giving you a sneak peak tonight. Not just a stamp set (Four Frames) sneak peak, but DSP (Paisley Petals) sneak peak too. Guess what? I've got some more good news for you - you can earn this set and paper FREE with a qualifying workshop. Nothing complicated. Just host a workshop in April with $350 in merchandise sales and these are yours! (I've also got an additional little offer for April workshop - so read to the end of the post for deets.) The big deal lies in the fact that both the stamp set and paper won't be available until JULY with the release of the 2011-2012 Idea Book and Catalog. You can get your hot little hands on it now tho! You can also buy the stamp set and paper in April when you place a $25 order.

Looky there - I even broke out my Butterfly Embosslit and put it to use. It was so happy to make it out of the storage box and put to use. Even if it was just one simple spin thru the Big Shot - happiness.

So, my friends. Host a workshop with me in April. This can be a catalog party, it can be a web party, it can be an open house, a 'Drink and Ink', Girls Night In....whatever. One lucky, random hostess will win a set of the New Color Kit Stampin Write Markers. That's a $35.95 value! On top of all of the other freebies you can get - holy smokin' HOT! Better get your workshop with me scheduled!!! Contact me today.

Wish Big {top}

Howdy folks. I don't have a lot for you tonight, 'cept for this Paper Crafts reject! Going for a circus theme, this as about all I could come up with....I cut the big top with my Silhouette. This one really made me realize just how much I love that machine. Isn't that tent adorable?

We had the stomach flu hit our house once again! Seriously. I just had it last week, and last night it was Will's turn, again. I'm going to recommend that his Pre-K teacher disinfect their room over Spring Break! We usually don't have this much flu go thru our house. Luckily, it's mainly been Will and I. Andy, Alex and Aubrie all have done darn well. Maybe Will and I should change our names to something that begins with an 'A'.

Other highlights....had the tornado sirens going off today. The funny thing about this, we are suppose to get snow on Friday and Saturday. That's the joys of living in Iowa - snow and tornadoes in the same week.

Okay people, this momma is TIRED! See ya later!

Sweet Sunday Sketch 108

I figured it was time to do a little stamping, just because. Usually I stamp because I need projects for upcoming workshops or Stamp Clubs, or publication calls. But last Sunday I wanted to stamp, just to stamp. Yeah - I started this on Sunday. Here it is Friday night, well almost Saturday already. I started the card on Sunday, finished it on Monday, and photographed it. I had great intentions. But then the flu hit our house again. Seriously. When is this stuff going to leave us alone? As I was the one laying knocked out on the couch, my husband went around and opened the windows, vowing to blow the crud out of our house. He actually got upset with me for being able to sleep all day AND NIGHT! He thought for sure I'd be up all night. Guess my body was saying to catch up on some needed sleep. So, that leaves me here, now, depriving myself of sleep once again!

So, back to this card. I wanted to stamp. I picked Karen's sketch to follow. This one came right to me. Was a pretty easy sketch, and I knew right away what I wanted to do, and it came to life! I love when that happens.

I colored this one with my SU markers and a blender pen - on watercolor paper. It's my favorite way to color, especially since no one has sent me a free set of Copics yet.

Alright - off to bed peeps! Nighty-night!

Butterfly Blog Party!

Wow! I saw this little blog party circulating on facebook, and it had to involve a butterfly on your project.

Well - believe it or not.....I actually had a project done with a butterfly on it (actually I have several lately - remember the chocolate make and take?)

But here's what's gonna really throw YOU, my fellow readers, for a loop:



That, my friends, is a scrapbook page. Yeah, I said SCRAPBOOK page! Believe it or not! I recently did a workshop and we made this scrapbook page. I even put photos on the page. Seriously - look at that picture up there. Yep, those photos are attached. So - here's Aubrie's first actual scrapbook page. (I've done digi pages) I just love these pictures of her - they were taken on Christmas Eve. And, that is why they are printed in B&W - because her dress was red and black plaid. Not very fitting on this page. I do still need to journal....maybe by her graduation.


Let me explain the anti-scrapbooking thing for those of you new here. I actually DO make scrapbook pages. In fact I have a Scrapbook Club that meets every other month. I've got my sample pages all nicely filed in my album. Without pictures. Why?? Don't ask me. There is no answer. I don't know. I just don't get my pictures off of this darn computer. bad. I KNOW!

So back to my page:



Look at all of the details on this page. There is one of my butterflies! Sitting amongst the crocheted ribbon and paper flowers, the cute little safety pin - he's a lucky little butterfly - he even got Smooched!

Aren't you glad to see a scrapbook page? I think one of the reasons I don't show many pages, is that they are a little difficult to photograph. This one here is just an 8 1/2 x 11 - so not SO big. This page currently is gracing my shelf in my craft room - so I can admire daily! She's such a cutie if I do say so myself!


Here's a more recent picture of Aubrie - so recent, I just took it a couple of hours ago. Aubrie IS bliss to me. Funny how, Andy and I had decided we were done having children. We were ready to move on. The boys were becoming somewhat easier to handle. Well, Will was easier. Alex. That's never gonna happen. Then. boom. I was pregnant. I had a lot of mixed feelings about being pregnant again. I hate to admit that. I was no longer working full time, so it scared me. I knew my feelings would change eventually. And then she came into my life. And I thank God for her. And I tell her (almost daily) that God knew what he was doing. Just look at that smile.



Funny how it can go from that:






To THIS:



in just a matter of minutes. Either way - I love her. She makes me smile!

Thanks for stopping by on your little butterfly blog hop... enjoy!

So Happy!

You got it! I'm SO HAPPY! Why you ask?

Well, I'm happy for LEANN MCCLURE!

She joined my team of demonstrators! Welcome to my team LeAnn - I hope that you are ready to stamp up some fun!

Sale-a-Bration is still in full swing - and this is a great time to join Stampin' Up! During Sale-A-Bration, anyone who joins as a demonstrator gets 15 percent off the price of the standard or Digital+ Starter Kits--that's over $310 worth of high-quality Stampin' Up! products for just $148.75! In addition, new demonstrators get a FREE Bonus Bundle worth up to $50! The demonstrator kit is also fully customizable! If there is something that doesn't appeal to you, you can swap it out for something that does!

Whether you'd like to earn money to pay for your stamping supplies, create a full or part-time career, or simply get a discount on your stamping supplies, Stampin' Up! will help you do it. And if that isn't enough, we've listed 10 reasons for you to become a Stampin' Up! demonstrator.

Get ideas for handmade cards, scrapbook pages, and home decor projects.
Learn new, artistic stamping techniques on a monthly basis.
Gain first access to popular product lines and exclusive, award-winning designs.
Get a 20 percent discount on Stampin' Up! products.
Be your own boss, and establish a flexible business that meets your goals.
Spend more time with family when you work from home with a schedule that fits you and your family.
Be eligible to attend Stampin' Up!'s fabulous conferences and events.
Earn free exotic trips and other recognition (like free rubber stamps, cash awards, and other valuable prizes).
Meet new friends and enrich lives while sharing what you love.
Receive support and training from Stampin' Up!

Contact me to sign up today!




So this bright litte number is one that uses the new Build a Blossom set and punch. Um. I'm gonna warn you - this set is addictive and fun! There are so many options.....and you'll be seeing quite a bit out of this set in the days to come! I've created a lot of cards and scrapbook pages with it!



This is currently one of my favorite color combos too! So Saffon, Poppy Parade, Tempting Turquoise and a titch of Early Espresso. I think this yells SPRING! The little doily shape I cut with my Silhouette - which I love, but do need to put to use some more. I will admit - it's MUCH easier to just run things thru the Big Shot. Anyone else think so? Big Shot vs. Cricut or Silhouette - I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Alrighty - baby girl needs a nap...gotta run...

{on the mend}

Hey folks - just a quick post tonight. Here's a card I did for Karen's Sweet Sunday Sketch - and hmmmm. Get this - I'm a week late. Yeah - not suprised? Me either. That's why I don't play with sketch or color challenges very often. By the time I get the card done, photographed, uploaded and blogged. I'm a day late and a dollar short. I don't know why my days have been so out of whack - since about Christmas. I can't get on a decent schedule at all. Seems like something always interrupts my best laid plans. Must be that addition of the third child. I love her to death, and constantly tell her that God knew what he was doing when he brought her to us. With that being said, she is a Mama's girl, and she knows that her Mama is a SUCKER! As long as she keeps defending herself to her big brother (Alex) we may end up okay!

Oh, hey - you wanted to see my card right? And that's why you came here. And I said this was going to be a quick post. So, before I fall asleep typing (it's been known to happen)....here is my card close up.


I had to hand write that on there, which I'm not terribly fond of, but it worked. I need more sentiments for this set. Leave me a comment and let me know what sentiments YOU would use with this set.

That's all for today folks.....

Blissful Chocolate!

Anyone else tired of the FLU???? We've had a fairly germ free household ever since I made the move to stay at home. But this last month has been a struggle! Will is once again sick with a flu of some sort. He was complaining yesterday morning right away, and (now I feel guilty) I didn't believe that he was sick. He ate breakfast and lunch just fine and didn't have a fever or anything. Just complained that his head hurt. I did give him a Junior Motrin for his headache. He did take a morning nap, and that's not like him, so I was beginning to believe him. Mid afternoon his fever showed up. I thought I'd let it go for a bit to see if he could fight it off himself. By 7pm when the fever hadn't broke, I decided it was time for liquid Motrin. Bad idea. That came back up about 5 minutes later. He then fell asleep for the remainder of the night - well until about midnight anyway. Then we were up and down with the poor guy all night. He ran a fever all night and thru this morning. I finally decided we'd try Motrin again - this time the chewable stuff. Thankfully it stayed down, but the little dude is just not himself still. I'm ready for spring so I can open this house up and shu these germs right outta this house! Doesn't make me feel any better when I kind of feel the symptoms of the crud settling in my system again - I JUST got over this stuff!

Alright, say goodbye to the flu and onto better things folks.....




You guys remember that I had a Girls Night Out event last weekend. Well, it's about time I show you the little treat holder that we made!



Isn't this adorable? I made it out of two tags from the Two Tags die. FYI - totally not my idea - I snagged this us from the adorable Kimberly Van Diepen. She's got a great video that shows you how to make this. Granted, I did design my own. Her's was a fall style treat holder. You'll have to search You Tube for the video - or her blog. She has several brilliant ideas, besides the fact that she is as cute as can be!!!






On my sample, I used a little Smooch on the tag. We didn't do this at the event, too time consuming. In fact - I was doing make and takes from 3:30 to 9:30 and still didn't get thru everyone! Granted, the last group was a little winded, and well, wined too! But that made it a blast! Sometimes a good "Ink and Drink" is in order!

We wrapped 6 nuggets and tucked them in here. Too cha-cha for words and yummy too. This is a great way to use up some scraps.

Here is another that I saw a demo on. I liked it, but opted for the other version.

This one held three nuggets, but somehow those have disappeared!!! That happens around here.

Well, now I'm off to Sioux City for another girly event. A couple of scrapbooking stores have sponsored a crop for the weekend, so I'm headed over there to do some make and takes and hopefully meet some great new friends!

Before I go - just out of curiousity - does anyone have some great tips for the Smooch Spritz? I really like the stuff, but am finding it hard to control. I know that it's suppose to be a spritz, and isn't meant to be perfect. But, all of my spritzers have gotten clogged - I have to lift the sprayer between each spray in order to get it to "go" again. And when I shake up my Log Cabin spray, it wants to leak out of the sprayer portion. Then when I take the lid off, the lid is full of ink. It's a little frustrating to me. Anyone have good advice for this stuff?

That's it folks.....til next time.