What Can We Do In The Forest Swap

So awhile back i joined the forest on SCS...and the swap this time around is What can we do in the Forest?..now that's a lot of possibilities right...i love nature/outdoors...so many fun and educational things do do and see...for my cards though i decided KISS...keep it simple silly...and went with 2 of my favorite nature activities...the 1st is Camping...

Camping
Paper: Handsome Hunter..Chocolate Chip..Not Quite Navy..Marina Mist..Crumb Cake
Ink: Handsome Hunter
Stamps: Roughing it
Accessories: CB..Forest Branches EF..Tent die..Pine Tree brads..circle punch

Inside

and i did Hiking for the 2nd one...

Take a Hike
Paper: Chocolate Chip..Confetti Cream
Ink: printer..Chocolate Chip
Stamps: Roughing It
Accessories: brads..circle punch

Inside

part of the fun making the 2nd card was figuring out how to get words printed in a circular fashion for punching out...lol...took some misses and fails but i finally got it...hope you all like them...now i want to start planning a camping trip for next summer!

Cowboys Christmas Card

I am a FANATIC Steelers Fan...and have always called this team from texas "the cowgirls"...but there are some very nice people that allow me to use their driveway when turning on & off my School Zone lights...
They are FANATIC Cowboys fans...and i can respect love for your team even if i dislike that team...

Cowboys Christmas Card
Paper: Night of Navy..Brushed Silver
Accessories: Star punch..blue and clear gems..snowflakes ef..cuttlebug

 i will be placing a gift card inside to thank them...i used traditional cowboys team colors and punched out the star that is the team symbol....

Pin It

Merry CHRISTmas Swap

First the title of this swap intrigued me... Merry "CHRIST"mas...Jesus is the reason for the season...Second the hostess had 3 categories...cards..tags..small gifts...i've never done tags for a swap before...so that's what i chose...

Snowflake Tag
Paper: Basic Black..Brushed Silver
Ink: Black Printer
Accessories: Snowflake Brad..Silver Yarn

this pic shows how pretty the silver paper...snowflake and yarn go together...

the next pic shows the poem i chose more clearly...this is probably my favorite of all Christmas poems...

Favorite Recipe Swap

Here are a couple of my favorite recipes...and they are meals my family loves as well...this was such a great swap...FYI these both freeze well...just don't bake before freezing...on the muffins i freeze in the tin for a day then "pop" them out and put in a freezer bag...just thaw and bake...

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas
Paper:  textured Wild Wasabi..DP..Confetti Cream
Ink: printer
Accessories: green half pearls

Meatloaf Muffins
Paper: textured Crumb Cake..DP..Natural White..Chocolate Chip
Ink: printer
Accessories: paper flowers..antiqued brass brads

What Color Is Your Hair? Swap

i know it's been awhile...i have done some cards for swaps...just not posted...better late than never right?

i had fun with this swap... i chose gray hair and red hair...love the bugaboo digi stamps i used for these...especially Stella...she hits my funny bone...the first card sums up my summer days...not that my glass always has a "cocktail" in it but i sit outside sipping and sunning...

5 O'Clock Stella
Paper: Basic Black..Brushed Silver..Whisper White..DP
Ink: Printer..Markers
Stamp: Stella 5 o'clock
Accessories: Flower punch..gems..black embossing powder

5 O'Clock Stella Inside
Paper: Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black
Stamp: A Little Love

the other card features JJ and is exactly how i feel about vacuuming...best thing about having my kids was letting them do that chore for me...i'd rather scrub a floor than vacuum...go figure...

JJ Vacuum
Paper: Not Quite Navy..So Saffron..Whisper White..DP
Ink: Printer..Markers
Stamps: JJ Vacuum & Sentiment
Accessories: gems

i have some recipe cards to get posted in a day or two and then need to work on another swap...and make a few Christmas cards...i also did some tags for a "CHRIST"mas swap that i need to get pics of to post...until then...be safe /be well...

The Creation of The Military Wife

yeah i been away for awhile...and i will have a creation posted soon...in the meantime...

The Good Lord was creating a model for military wives and was into his sixth day of overtime when an angel appeared. She said, "Lord, you seem to be having a lot of trouble with this one. What’s wrong with the standard model?"

... The Lord replied, "Have you seen the specs on this order? She has to be completely independent, possess the qualities of both father and mother, be a perfect hostess to 4 or 40 with an hour’s notice, run on no sleep, handle every emergency imaginable without a manual, be able to carry on cheerfully, even if she is pregnant and has the flu, and she must be willing to move to a new location 10 times in 17 years. And oh yes, she must have six pairs of hands." The angel shook her head, "Six pair of hands? No way!"

The Lord continued, "Don’t worry, we will make other military wives to help her. And we will give her an unusually strong heart so it can swell with pride in her husband’s achievements, sustain the pain of separations, beat soundly when it is overworked and tired, and be large enough to say "I understand" when she doesn’t and say, ‘I love you’ regardless".

"Lord," said the angel, touching his arm gently "Go to bed and get some rest. You can finish this tomorrow". "I can’t stop now", said the Lord "I am so close to creating something unique. Already this model heals herself when she is sick, can put up six unexpected guests for the weekend, wave goodbye to her husband from a depot, pier or runway and understand why it’s important that he leave."

The angel circled the model of the military wife, looked at it closely and sighed, "It looks fine, but it’s too soft". "She might look soft", replied the Lord, "but she has the strength of a lion. You would not believe what she can endure."

Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek of the Lord’s creation. "There’s a leak", she announced. "Something is wrong with the construction. You are trying to put too much into this model."

The Lord appeared offended at the angel’s lack of confidence. "What you see is not a leak", he said, "It’s a tear." "A tear? What is it there for?", asked the angel. The Lord replied, "It’s for joy, sadness, pain, disappointment, loneliness, pride and a dedication to all the values that she and her husband hold dear." "You are a genius!" exclaimed the angel.

The Lord looked puzzled and replied, "I didn’t put it there".

Christmas is Coming Swap

here's a couple of cards i did for a Christmas swap...on the 1st one i FINALLY used a die in my cuttlebug...marked up my pristine B plate...*sniff..sniff*...but i like how they turned out...so not crying much...

Christmas Trees
Paper: cranberry crisp..chocolate chip..handsome hunter textured..so saffron..night of navy..whisper white
Accessories: tree die set..red ribbon

this next card came together quickly...love when that happens...

Snowflakes
Paper: marina mist..bashful blue..snowflake dp
Ink: marina mist
Stamps: Four the Holidays
Accessories: white snowflake brads

hope everyone is having a wonderful day!...be safe/be well

Utah Divas International Sketch Challenge #157 & Hiding in My Craft Room #15

it's been awhile since i did a challenge...and i plan to do one or two of the HYCCT challenges over on SCS...but today i was looking at the blogs i subscribe to and ran across a couple of challenges that i knew i could combine...i am usually combining challenged...lol...pun!

the 1st challenge is UDI's Sketch #157...and i knew i had the perfect papers for it...of course i turned the sketch sideways...cause you know i'm a sideways kinda gal!...lol

DSC157 & HIMCR15
Paper : garden green..various co-ordinating dps
Ink: chocolate chip Stamp: Lovely as a Tree
Accessories: gold stretch cord

the 2nd one is Super Scraps Saturday #15 over on Laurie's blog...Hiding in My Craft Room (HIMCR)...she is one busy and talented lady!!!...and i had scraps of all the papers i wanted to use so BONUS!!!

Thanks for looking...have a great weekend...3 dayer for some...be safe/be well

Caffeine Crazy Swap

i LOVE coffee...and tea...especially chai...so of course i signed up for this swap...2 spots....i went with the other Stella i colored and i'm very happy with how it turned out...the sentiment is inside and reads "Touch My Coffee and See What Happens!...

Touch my Coffee
Paper: really rust..summer sun..whisper white..homemade dp
Ink: printer..SU markers
Stamp: Stella ~ Touch my Coffee
Accessories: ribbon..buttons

the 2nd card is a revamp of a card i previously posted for a color challenge...i changed the ribbon...and it is interesting (to me) that it seemed to really change the card's look/focus...but hey i could be wrong...i was amp'd on coffee!

Caffeine Problem
Paper: early espresso..very vanilla..real red
Ink: early espresso
Stamps: Coffee Cafe
Accessories: ribbon..crimper

thx for looking...be safe/be well all!

Stella

i was doing some mock ups for a caffeine crazy swap i'm in @ SCS...and decided the "Stella ~ touch my coffee" digi stamp from Bugaboo would be perfect...and i'd get to practice my coloring skills...or lack there of...lol...and i worked on these cards on "World Card Making Day"...so i feel i really accomplished something!...

Stella ~ Touch my Coffee
Paper: summer sun..lavender lace
Ink: printer..SU markers
Stamps: Stella~touch my coffee..coffee cafe
Accessories: paper flower..ribbon..CB EF D'vine swirls

i ended up doing 2 different color schemes...this is the one i decided not to use for the swap...so i'll post those in a few days...on this one i decided not to use the sentiment that came with this digi...instead i used one that reads "I don't do mornings..until I've had my coffee"...which my oldest dd says is "sooo you!"..i think i might just have to send it to my bff since i miss my morning coffee with her...be safe/be well all

It's a Boy!...It's a Girl!...It's a Beautiful Babies Card Swap!

You all know me and swaps...this Beautiful Babies one over @ SCS looked fun...I did a boy card...

Baby Boy
Paper: brocade blue..whisper white..dsp
Ink: basic black..SU markers..brocade blue/printer
Stamp: Wash Day Wheel
Accessories: ribbon..word window punch

a girl card...so sweet...

It's a Girl
Paper: pretty in pink..melon mambo..whisper white
Ink: pretty in pink
Stamp: Rylee's Footprints
Accessories: circle punches..ribbon..paper flowers w/pink gem centers..CB EF bloom dots

and a "don't know"/neutral one...

Happy New Baby
Paper: certainly celery..so saffron..whisper white
Ink: certainly celery
Stamp: Fun and Fast Notes
Accessories: bright green brads, CB EF: Spots and  Dots

now my daughters' friends better start having more babies...and/or my friend's kiddos need to have some...lol

Side Dish Swap

oh my where does the time fly to?...been busy here...on the days my back feels up to it i have been getting fall cleaning done...yay...uh...not!...and doing some creating here and there..usually i do my cards all at once for swaps....but lately i work on one or two...then go do something more pressing...

Crispy Potato Wedges
Paper: textured early espresso ..confetti cream
Ink: early espresso/printer
Accessories: russett potatoes stock photo, creamy caramel eyelets

These are the cards i did for a side dish recipe swap over on SCS....took me a few days but i got them done...

Zucchini Parmesan
Paper: textured daffodil delight..poppy parade..pear pizzaz..whisper white..dsp
Ink: pear pizzaz/printer
Accessories: paper flowers

G.I. Jane and Ovarian Cancer Awareness

september is ovarian cancer awareness month...so wear your teal colored ribbons...and since this is the cancer that my BFF has been dealing with i will be looking like g.i. jane soon...even though "good news" she isn't going back into chemo just yet...trying something else first...but if her numbers continue to rise as they have been she'll be bald around christmas...just an upadate...and look for pics...i won't go bald til she does but i can buzz cut

Better Late Than Never

ok so a couple of months ago i had a minor computer glitch...lost some website stuff and some document stuff...i THOUGHT i had recovered everything...apparently not...i got a message from a swap hostess on SCS..."Have you sent your cards?"...uh oh crap!...so i made some cards up ASAP!!!...not my best work...but not too bad either...

Spud Swap
Paper: textured basic black..naturals ivory..really rust..more mustard..dsp
Ink: printer/real rust
Accessories: black ribbon..crimper

Who's in the Forest Swap

ok this swap is almost done...due 8/18/11...but i couldn't wait anymore to post these...i personally LOVE the computer one...the theme of this swap was to make a card (or two) of something you like/enjoy...hobbies...food...etc....well I {HEART} SCS....i did a screen capture of my swap subscriptions page on SCS for the background...and used the free blog icon that i have here on my blog...popped it up on dimensionals and added red stickles to the heart...inside i stamped the cat and mouse from this set (computer quips)...

i {heart} SCS
Paper: basic gray..whisper white
Ink: basic gray..printer
Stamps: computer quips
Accessories: red stickles..black sparkle tiles..dimensionals

and as most of you know...i love to read...everything...especially cookbooks...cover to cover...and i enjoy recipe card swaps...so the result was my 2nd card...a bookworm...reading a cookbook...with a recipe included...of course...lol...i used GIMP photo editing software to fill the pictures on the cookbook my little worm is reading...then after some consultation with my design team...aka my dd's...i used a brad to "hinge" the
image over the recipe...

cookbookworm
Paper: ruby red..yoyo yellow..very vanilla
Ink: SU markers..printer
Stamps: bookworm digi
Accessories: lt green stickles..sm black brad

these were a lot of fun to design and make...the computer card was from one of those "lightbulb" moments...i had to get it written down quick...and the bookworm evolved when i was trying to think "outside the box"...or in my case "the rut"...thanks for cking these out...be safe/be well

Non-Food/Gift Recipe Swap Cards

i hosted a recipe swap over @ (where else?) SCS...the theme was Non-Food/Gift...got them all headed home this morning...both my daughters participated as well...they are "n00bs"...but getting better and better...

as you all know i'm a CAS kinda girl and it shows on my card...

Fire Starters
Paper: textured pumpkin pie..chocolate chip..naturals ivory
Ink: chocolate chip..pumpkin pie..summer sun (marker)
Stamps: Roughin' It
Accessories: CB..forest branches EF

my daughter jonni did this card...she colored it on the computer and used coordinating card stock...i think it's very cute...

Best Bubbles
Paper: textured baja breeze..whisper white..wild wasabi..pretty in pink
Ink: printer ink
Stamps: Bear Blowing Bubbles digi stamp

and myke added some bling to her's with stickles and pearls...

Face Mask
Paper: textured bravo burgandy..very vanilla..baja breeze
Ink: bravo burgandy..blush and yellow markers
Stamps: Bubble Queen
Accessories: stickles..pearls..lemon brad..CB..tiny bubbles EF

i am going to try some fancier stuff soon...try out my spellbinders dies that i bought eons ago...and maybe some extra bling on a card...but always CAS @ {heart}

Military Spouses

Lots of moving...Moving...Moving...
Moving far from home...
Moving two cars, three kids and one dog...all riding with HER of course.
Moving sofas to basements because they won't go in THIS house;
Moving curtains that won't fit;
Moving jobs and certifications and professional development hours.
Moving away from friends;
Moving toward new friends;
Moving her most important luggage: her trunk full of memories.

Often waiting...Waiting...Waiting...
Waiting for housing.
Waiting for orders.
Waiting for deployments.
Waiting for phone calls.
Waiting for reunions.
Waiting for the new curtains to arrive.
Waiting for him to come home,
For dinner...AGAIN!

They call her 'Military Dependent', but she knows better:
She is fiercely In-Dependent.

She can balance a check book;
Handle the yard work;
Fix a noisy toilet;
Bury the family pet...

She is intimately familiar with drywall anchors and toggle bolts.
She can file the taxes;
Sell a house;
Buy a car;
Or set up a move...
All with ONE Power of Attorney.

She welcomes neighbors that don't welcome her.
She reinvents her career with every PCS;
Locates a house in the desert, The Arctic, Or the deep south.
And learns to call them all 'home'.
She MAKES them all home.

Military Wives are somewhat hasty...
They leap into:
Decorating,
Leadership,
Volunteering,
Career alternatives,
Churches,
And friendships.
They don't have 15 years to get to know people.
Their roots are short but flexible.
They plant annuals for themselves and perennials for those who come after them.

Military Wives quickly learn to value each other:
They connect over coffee,
Rely on the spouse network,
Accept offers of friendship and favors.
Record addresses in pencil...

Military Wives have a common bond:
The Military Wife has a husband unlike other husbands; his commitment is unique.
He doesn't have a 'JOB'
He has a 'MISSION' that he can't just decide to quit...
He's on-call for his country 24/7.
But for her, he's the most unreliable guy in town!
His language is foreign
TDY
PCS
OPR
SOS
ACC
BDU
ACU
BAR
CIB
TAD
And so, a Military Wife is a translator for her family and his.
She is the long- distance link to keep them informed;
the glue that holds them together.

A Military Wife has her moments:
She wants to wring his neck;
Dye his uniform pink;
Refuse to move to Siberia;
But she pulls herself together.
Give her a few days,
A travel brochure,
A long hot bath,
A pledge to the flag,
A wedding picture,
And she goes.
She packs.
She moves.
She follows.

Why?
What for?
How come?
You may think it is because she has lost her mind.
But actually it is because she has lost her heart.
It was stolen from her by a man,
Who puts duty first,
Who longs to deploy,
Who salutes the flag,
And whose boots in the doorway remind her that as long as he is her Military Husband,
She will remain his military wife.
And would have it no other way.

--Author Unknown

Keepin' It Wheel Swap

I had NEVER used my stampin' wheels...have several...and the guides...but didn't use...intimidated...hmmm...maybe...then i saw this swap over on SCS...so i took the bull by the horns and joined...

this 1st card is masculine...always trying to do those type of cards...

Keepin' It Wheel Swap
Paper: Basic Gray..Basic Black
Ink: Basic Gray..Basic Black
Stamps: Totally Tool..Builder Bits Wheel
Accessories: ticket punch..screw top brads

and the 2nd card is patriotic...CASE'd from this card by TxCardMaker...i had some red gingham ribbon...but it didn't want to co-operate...lol...so i left it off...and you all know i'm a CAS kinda girl at heart...

Keepin' It Wheel Swap
Paper: Real Red..Night of Navy..Whisper White
Ink: Real Red..Whisper White
Stamps: Liberty for All..Swirling Stars Jumbo Wheel
Accessories: red/white/blue stars (each card has a different combo)

now to finish the recipe cards for a swap i'm hostessing...be safe/be well...

Finally...some cards..Wacky Holiday Swap

so i finally had some time to take pics of the cards i did for this swap...theme was Wacky Holidays...you know like "Hug Your Cat Day"...the 1st one is for "Great American Backyard Campout" which was June 25th this year...

Great American Backyard Campout
Paper: always artichoke..confetti cream..crumb cake..camo dsp
Ink: always artichoke..chocolate chip
Stamps: Roughin' It
Accessories: square pewter brads

 the 2nd one is for "National Pig Day" which is March 1st every year...

National Pig Day

Paper: crumb cake..chocolate chip..pretty in pink

Ink: chocolate chip

Stamps: Make a Wish (rubber stampede/suzy's zoo)..sentiment (art impressions)

Accessories: CB..EF..pink ribbon with brown dots
this is my mock up..on the actual cards for the swap i didn't color in the clover...i thought it looked better w/o

and..i finally got to do some stamping yesterday..for another swap...i'll post those pics after i get them mailed out...be safe/be well all!!

YAY IT"S DONE!!...and shaving my head

the bathroom is done!!...well i might still paint the vanity since we didn't replace it and i DO NOT want to sand and refinish it...yuck...but  we got the med cab back up and will be installing the towel racks tonight...i took a shower and shaved my legs...yes i am hair free now...and speaking of hair free...my bff  is probably going back into treatment...which means chemo...and i told her i would shave my head...also a gal i've come to know through my dh and being key spouse for his flight (USAF thing) is going into chemo again...losing the hair you just got grown back can be traumatic...so i want to support these wonderful women...and on the selfish side..i have complained for years that i was going to "GI Jane" my hair/head since i HATE trying to do anything with it...so i'm gonna ROCK THE DO-RAG!!!

Bathroom redo part 2

it's been so slow going but we are down to the last stretch i think...

we insulated...primered...installed tub...green boarded..taped/mudded...sanded...mudded...sanded...did i mention we sanded?...installed the surround and window kit...now we have to get the walls sanded and then...yay!! PAINT!!

 

i hope everyone has had a happy and safe independence day/weekend...hug a veteran!!!

Bathroom Redo part 1

Todd and my Bro Ray start to tear it apart

so i got my camera and computer to co-operate somehow...and we are redoing the tub/shower in the upstairs bath...much worse than first suspected...have to let it all dry out...which it mostly is...then use mold killer and kilz primer...but we are waiting for a window we ordered...have to install that...then we can install the tub/surround and window trim kit...and i salvaged some of the tiles to do crafty things with

GROSS!!!

the dgs Max

and his cat Mac

Mi Vida Loca...aka I need a Clone

May is always a busy month for me...and even more so this year with the "anniversary" of my son-in-law's death...it is amazing how the grandkids especially the youngest know without the adults discussing it that it's been a year...they just suddenly started talking about their dad and what happened and how they miss him...i know my daughter was getting depressed as the date approached but we really didn't say much about it and not within hearing of the kids...not to hide anything but to enjoy the birthdays and mother's day...i think maybe Billy has been visiting though...we have all had dreams and suddenly Tay is talking about his daddy again...and they are all  clingy...i know it will pass...meanwhile i have been going non-stop with chores and work...redoing the upstairs bath and getting ready to start on the downstairs bath...so i am thinking i might need to research how to get myself cloned...just so i can have some crafting time...lol...i will create and the clone can be the drudge...ah such a nice fantasy right?

Red, White & Blue Swap

Paper: night of navy..ridinghood red..whisper white..sailboat dp..mini stars dp
Accessories: white brad..red ribbon..dimentionals

Finally posting this card i made for a R/W/B swap on SCS..i got the idea from this card...posted over on Trish's blog Mouse Print Creations...the tutorial she references has a variation to make one that spins...still working on that...lol...i left the paper blank under the ribbon so the other swappers could add their own sentiment...i also layered white cs on the stars dp on the inside...