Happy Thanksgiving and an Award to boot!

A few days ago my stamping buddy Deb gave me an award on her blog, Freckle-Face Printworks. I have "known" Deb for three years now. I met her during an SCS swap. I felt such an affinity for Deb that I showed her my very first swap ahead of time to see if it was up to snuff (remember that Deb?)

So, in order to fulfill the requirements of the award ... I present 5 things you may not know about me

• I love watching Project Runway (and even convinced the husband to watch with me this year). I was very sad that Meana Irina won. Carol Hannah was robbed!

• I am a native Californian but spent most of my life in Arizona. There is no place that I would rather be than in Arizona 7 months out of the year ... unfortunately those other 5 months knock the stuffing out of me. I hate the heat.

• I am attempting to learn to knit but need a wee bit more practice.

• I love, love LOVE reading and once burned dinner while finishing a book.

• I would rather drink diet coke than water any day of the week!
  

I pass this award on to my five new stampin' sistahs from the 2010 KL Design Team :

Risa Mindy Jacilynn Jodi Kristine

Moving on to my card for this week:

In the spirit of giving, I'm going to ask you to overlook the little smudge on the card. As the Wizard from the Wizard of OZ said, "pay no attention to that man behind the curtain." I thought about photo-shopping it out but ... I'm too tired tonight to do it.

I love this Fluffles. He reminds me of my own little fuzz buckets. Hanging out in the tree, playing with expensive glass ornaments is their FAVORITE thing about the Christmas season.

So, I'm going to toddle off to bed now. I want to be fresh as a daisy tomorrow morning for the 13.5 hour drive to Phoenix with two small children and a cranky husband. Yay! I wish you all a restful and happy Thanksgiving.



Supplies:
Stamps: Fluffles in the Garland, Stampabilities
Accessories: brad, Nestibilities

Gobble, Gobble

Continuing my self-imposed challenge to make autumnal colored cards, I went to my studio yesterday. And as I made the journey downstairs, I kind of felt like that old Dunkin Donuts commercial with the chef, dragging his feet and muttering "time to make the donuts"

Time to use brown. Blah

But ... I have to admit that it turned out better than I anticipated. I found this wonderful double-sided paper that matched my ribbon almost perfectly. I'm still working on my shading with the copics. If you were to come into my studio while I'm coloring, you would hear me say over and over again ... "where is your light source, where's the sun?" I'm getting better but still need practice.

Someday maybe I can take a copic certification course.

Poultry in Motion

So on my way to be a "Secret Reader" in my eldest's classroom, I fell. I didn't trip over a child or a stray art project. I just fell. And as I lay there sprawled in the hallway, with teachers hovering over me, shouting, "don't move" and "how do you feel?" I began to feel like a bit of an idiot. Remember the rhyme ... "Monday's child is fair of face and Tuesday's child is full of grace?" I WAS born on a Tuesday and in no way am I a graceful person.

Soooo, in honor of my "trip" I created this card. I am a bit of a turkey and utterly graceless! I was recently selected to be a member of KLSNS Design Team (yay!) I am sooo excited to start in 2010. And because of this honor, I decided to challenge myself and stretch my designing to include something that I never use ... neutral colors. I really don't like autumn colors: orange, yellow and brown. My pink, blue and green designer paper drawers are so full that you practically need to wear a hard hat to open them. Not so with orange, yellow and brown. Not only are they crammed in ONE drawer, but the drawer slides open easily. This was my first card.

Now before you start saying, "cheater, cheater pumpkin eater" because the card is predominately blue ... I DO need to point out that I DID use two neutral colors. The stamp is "Turkey Getaway" from High Hopes. And even though he is not listed on the page, he IS available in Kelly's store. I forced myself to make a second neutral card and he turned out pretty cute too. Tune in tomorrow for that one!

Supplies:
Stamps: Turkey Getaway-High Hopes, phrase: computer generated
Accessories: Chocolate Chip SU ribbon and hardware, pop dots, Spellbinders Label One

'Replections'

This morning I rounded the corner with the laundry basket on my hip, only to slide dramatically on a CD. As I dropped the basket, spilling the contents on the floor and catching myself on the sofa, I gazed at the front room. And what to my wondering eyes should appear? But nearly every CD that we own, out of it's case and on the floor.

Poltergeist? You might ask.

And I would respond, No, a busy four year old, home from pre-school, sick (theoretically). "Look mommy," he said pointing at the floor. "Look at the 'replections' Isn't it awesome? " Awesome probably wasn't the first word to pop into my mind as I watched him spin the CDs. The rotating CDs were catching the sun and causing hundreds of little rainbows to form everywhere. And dag-nab-it, the 'replections' WERE kinda pretty.

Of course, now I will be spending the afternoon re-organizing, and alphabetizing the CDs (and buying the White Album AGAIN which was a casualty of the entire experience) but sometimes I need to remember to stop and enjoy the beauty to be found. Even if it is messy.

Here is your card. Another mouthless Magnolia. :-) Enjoy.

Supplies: Magnolia: Tilda, Phrase: Stampabilities: Little Fruit
Accessories: SU ribbon, Nestibilities

My First Christmas Card

As I was shopping at Walgreens today, I heard the strains of Christmas music. Ugh. Really? Already? I've barely packed away my witches and mummies from Halloween. Now I know a lot of you plan ahead and make Christmas cards all year but I can't. One, I'm just not that organized and two, I have to have a certain frame of mind to make Holiday cards. It should be cold, preferably with snow on the ground and there should be the smell of gingerbread in the air.

Having said that, I should tell you that I'm wearing short sleeves because Colorado Springs is supposed to get as hot as 72 this afternoon. And the smell of gingerbread ... overcome by the smell of jalapenos from the jar that my four year old dropped on the floor this morning. "Oh, sorry mommy. Did you need that for tonight's dinner?"

But as Walgreens, the mall, and every other retailer can attest ... it's THAT time of year and so I've made my first Christmas card (74 more to go).

This is a Matilda. My friend, Eileen loves these Swedish stamps. I think they are cute but have an odd desire to draw in a mouth every time I use one. I did learn that the reason that they have no mouths is that they are supposed to be angels. Apparently angels don't talk. I get that ... there are times when I wish MY OWN angels wouldn't talk so much. Kidding.

Supplies:
Stamps: Matilda, phrase: Memory Box
Accessories: SU Ribbon, pop dots, Spellbinders

Love is in the Air!!!

I'm supposed to be helping my 6-year old do homework but he's whining. "Stop, you don't know how to make a five. My teacher told me to do it this way! You're bugging me." Sigh.

Sooooo, I'm stepping away from my angry upside-down 5 making child to show you something I also know a bit about ....

cards.

This is Luigi from High Hopes. I love their stamps but it's been difficult buying the stamps because they are a Canadian company. It used to take FOREVER to get the stamps. Fortunately there is a new option. Kelly is now stocking them in her store (take a peak here).

Supplies:
Stamps: High Hopes
Accessories: ribbon, SU: punches, copic markers, hardware