Lovin' this layout

I am almost done with the glittered cupcake embellishments. I think that I have three more out of the package left to use.


SU Close to Cocoa Cardstock and SU 6x6 patterned paper (small pink inserts). The brown polka dotted paper is The Paper Studio "Coco & Pink Small Polka Dot". SU scalloped punch, SU 1-3/8" circle punch and glittered cupcake embellishment from Archiver's. The brads are from my stash.

Crunch Time

I hope to have a card to post later today. I have the components cut they just need to be assembled.

I have post to create with a wonderful RAK that I received, these cards are awesome. I need to get my thank you out for that too.

I also have a great Pay It Forward to post and then I must make up my PIF packages and get that post onto the blog for anyone who wants to play.

It's crunch time, my final exam covering Partnerships and Governmental accounting is tomorrow night at 6pm. It will contain 17 multiple choice questions (computational) and 4 problems (one from each chapter). I need a total of 69 points on this test to get a C in the class and be done with this professor. I have taken the day off to spend in the library getting as much practice and knowledge into my head so that I can get a passing grade. One thing I do know, this has been my only exposure to government accounting in all the classes that I have taken toward my accounting degree and this subject should be a class in and of itself. Governmental accounting is VERY different from corporate accounting and it is very hard to "buck the system" that you have been taught in so many of the classes. So many different general ledger accounts to know and I just hope that I don't freak out when it comes to the government questions.

More Double Side & We've Got Blooms

There are some blooms in the West side flower bed along with the four mini carnation plants that I bought at Jewel when I was grocery shopping yesterday and went and planted after I put the groceries away. That is my new goal, I cannot buy any plants unless I can get them planted within a 48 hour period. So far I am on track. I took some before pics of the East side raised bed and did a bit of cleaning yesterday after I planted but it was too cold to stay outside for an extended period with out my coat. I hope to get that bed cleaned out later this week or on the weekend when the temps get a bit warmer.











SU Whisper White and Certainly Celery cardstock and Berry Bliss double sided designer paper. This is the last of the stamped and colored rose images that I had a stamped and colored eons ago. The pink brads are from my stash. The image on the envelope is from the SU retired set Wreath of Roses and it is stamped in Pretty in Pink ink.



SU Whisper White cardstock, SU double sided designer paper from a 5 color 6x6 stack.
Series of tulip stamped images from the retired SU set Hello Spring stamped in black ink and colored with Crayola colored pencils. The envelope is stamped with the same image in Bashful Blue.


SU Whisper White cardstock, Berry Bliss doubled sided designer paper. Series of tulip stamped images from the retired SU set Hello Spring stamped in black ink and colored with Crayola colored pencils. The envelope is stamped with the same image in Pretty in Pink. Pink plastic corner adornments from my stash.



SU Old Olive and Very Vanilla cardstock. SU Old Olive double sided designer series paper. Series of tulip stamped images from the retired SU set Hello Spring stamped in black ink and colored with Crayola colored pencils. The envelope is stamped with the same image in So Saffron.



SU Close to Cocoa and Chocolate Chip cardstock, Berry Bliss double sided designer paper, brads from my stash, 1-3/8" SU circle punch, SU scalloped punch, glittered cupcake embellishment from Archiver's. Envelope stamped with Pretty in Pink and the image is from the level 2 hostess set Cause for Celebration.



SU Whisper White cardstock, Berry Bliss double sided designer paper, brads from my stash, 1-3/8" SU circle punch, SU scalloped punch, glittered cupcake embellishment from Archiver's. Edges of the scallop highlighted with SU Pretty in Pink ink. Envelope stamped with Pretty in Pink and the image is from the level 2 hostess set Cause for Celebration.

Double Down Again

This card is almost an exact copy of my previous post.
Double sided paper again from SU in So Saffron, So Saffron and Whisper White cardstock. The stamped image is from the retired SU Hello Spring set stamped in black and colored with Crayola colered pencils.



Here is the card laying flat with the envelope. The tulip image as a single stamped image in SU So Saffron was stamped on the front of the envelope.

Lovin' the Double Sided

This card was made with SU Brilliant Blue and Very Vanilla cardstock, Brilliant Blue double sided designer paper, Labelious stamp set stamped with Brilliant Blue ink and brads from my stash. The envelope was stamped with Brilliant Blue ink using the Priceless stamp set.

Double Sided Paper

SU Close to Cocoa and Chocolate Chip cardstock, SU Berry Bliss double sided patterned paper. SU scalloped punch, glittered accessory from Archiver's, brads from my stash. Happy Birthday from the SU Birthday Whimsey set and stamped with Close to Cocoa ink.



SU One of a Kind stamped with Close to Cocoa ink.

Happy Birthday

For this card I used SU solid cardstock and the patterned paper was from Micheal's. I used the scalloped punch and a 1-7/8" circle punch from SU. The glittered embellishment was from Archiver's and the brads are from my stash.



I used the SU Birthday Whimsy stamp set to stamp on the corner of the envelope with So Saffron SU ink.

A Birthday Card

The Biggest Loser may be done for this season but I didn't deviate from my schedule of crafting on Tuesday night while watching tv. The program changed but not my routine of sitting on my bed and creating. So here is one from last night's creative endeavor.


SU Whisper White cardstock base, SU Berry Bliss two sided patterned paper, SU Close to Cocoa cardstock, SU scalloped punch,SU stamps from the Birthday Whimsy set from the 2008 Sale-A-Bration, SU Pretty In Pink ink, brads from my stash, glittered embellishment from Archiver's.

Playing

I didn't get a chance to play with paper over the weekend. I worked in my yard instead. I cleaned out all the dead stuff from last year that I never bothered to cut back before the first frost. Since many of this year's new growth was fighting to get above the debris I sucked it up and cleaned out all of the West side raised beds and planted some new purchases (3 snapdragons, 2 Martha Washington geraniums, 3 irises).


Here is my chunky monkey Gidget, she didn't help clean anything, she just acted like the killer guard dog that she thinks that she is and protected me from the wayward squirrel.


I planted three new irises in the West side raised bed.



Here are two of the snapdragon plants and one of the Martha Washington geraniums that I picked up at Home Depot.



These next few pics are of the large portion of the West side raised bed. I have irises, dwarf irises, lavender, a rose bush, tulip, hyacinth, and hollyhock. There are two other perennials that I have forgotten the names of those two plants.












Daisy bed before.


Daisy bed after.



Coneflower bed before the spring clean.



Cornflower bed after.

Cheater Cards & My Biker Baby

Between work and school the stress level in my body is very high. I haven't been sleeping well and by the end of the week I can feel the fatique in my body. These two cards were made last night, or should I say early this morning. I woke up at 12:30 am and didn't go back to sleep until 2:30am. I made these cards, watched an episode of CSI:Miami and sorted through some patterned paper. It's no wonder that I didn't feel the earthquake, a 4 or 5 point on the Reichter (sp?) scale that happened about 4:30am this morning.

To alieve some of that stress I borrowed my brother's bicycle for a ride last night before dinner. It's a "stop and go" bike (my name), it's really a coaster brake bike with a detachable basket. We put on the basket and my little baby girl Gidget (my chihuahua) went for a cruise with me. I LOVE this bike and Gidget enjoyed her ride too. My bike is a hybrid (part mountain bike part racer with a ton of different gears). I don't like that my bike has much of your weight supported by your arms. After awhile my wrists begin to hurt and that is one of the reasons why I don't ride it very much. My brother's bike has the wide semi-circle handlebars that are raised higher and you ride in more of a straight sitting position. I LOVE THIS BIKE!!! I am hoping to ride again tonight and I have promised Gidget that she too can come along. With a bike like this I can easily see myself doing errands via this mode of transportation and leaving my car in the garage.


Another cheater card using one of the pre-colored stamped rose images. I used SU River Rock, Wild Wasabi and Soft Sky cardstock. A stamp from a SU retired set that I cannot recall the name of and forgot to look and write it down. That background stamp and the one used in the following card are from the same set. The Happy Birthday stamp is from the $1 bin at Michael's. The brads are from my stash.



Well I needed a quick birthday card so I pulled out one of the few remaining rosebud images that I made a gazillion of many moons ago. I used SU Night of Navy and So Saffron cardstock. Bashful Blue ink for the background. A retired SU stamp set that has the small rosebud and brads from my stash. The Happy Birthday stamp is from the $1 bin at Micheals.

Slacker!!!!

Last night I worked on the elements for some upcoming cards and started assembly of another card but didn't get any of them finished. SORRY!!!

So, because I have no visual, I will just share another online dating snippit.

The question on the profile questionaire is:

Name three things for which your are most thankful

One of the men that the site matched me with answered the question with:

Laughter
Food
Sex

Most thankful for sex?
Wow, call me a prude but I put family, friends and humor before sex.

Ah, Springtime

There will be a few changes to the yard this year and I wanted to get some before pictures posted. As it is, there was a lilac bush that used to be right next to the shed (see it in a previous post around the beginning of this year). That was removed on Friday to allow for an expansion of the shed that my brother is going to undertake. I will take and post pictures as that develops. Phase I, removal of the dwarf lilac bush has been completed. I just wish that I had found someone to take it before it was destroyed. It was a beauty but just too overpowering for the area where I planted it. I thought it was going to be like the one in the front of my house which is tall and thin. The one in the backyard was short and wide. I guess I should read the fine print on the tag before buying. Lesson learned.


This is the raised flower bed on the West side of my yard. The patio blocks that are leaning against the bed were removed when the brick walkway and deck area were made. It would have been nice to have it all brick but we ran out of bricks and money for more bricks.



I HATE to cut down my flowers before they are really dead in the fall and then when it does come the time to cut them down it is usually too cold and I just don't want to spend a day outside freezing so this is what happens. This is the raised flower bed on the East side of my yard. I live in the city of Chicago so my yard is by no means large, yet I try to jam as many different flowers into my yard as I possibly can.


This spring there will be some changes. Like that gawd awful bright red garage door that my brother thought matched the existing paint when he was at Home Depot looking for paint for the door. This spring/summer's project will include the painting of the entire garage and shed a similar color as the one that dominates now. White trim will be done too.



Next to the shed, after my brother makes some "elbow room" with a small bump out on the side, will be the new veggie garden. Along the garage are a few peonia bushes that will NOT be touched.



Postscript:
With regards to my current online dating endeavor.
Why do men think that posting a picture of their naked chest is something that woman want to see?

Responses to that question are welcome, in fact encouraged.

Some Cards

Here is a birthday card that I made for my stash. I cut the front side of the card a bit shorter and the little cakes from the SU "One Smart Cookie" set (found in the Occasions mini catalog) are stamped on the "interior" of the card.



Here is a card that I made for my Uncle Ed's 85th birthday. He is a collector of trains and so I used the retired SU set "All Aboard". I stamped the white cardstock with an image from the set with Versamark. You really can't see it in the photo.



Here is the baby gift box that I stamped with SU retired baby images.



Here is the card that I made to go with the gift. The mother to be is having identical twin girls and I made only one card but stamped the envelope with two babies.

A Card

Here is a card that I cut out this morning and assembled when I got to work.
The yellow cardstock is SU from the Earth Elements line. The black cardstock is SU.
The remainder of the card is from a card stack purchased at JoAnn Fabrics (with my 40% coupon). It's the "Stemma" line and the stack's title is Celebration.
The glittered embellishment is from Archiver's. The manufacturer is Paper Salon and the name of the pack of 10 items is Yours Truly.
I didn't get a chance to stamp an envelope but will do that before putting this in my stash.

An Observation

I apologize, I don't have a card today but I do have an observation.

Now go ahead and call me a fuddy duddy, an old lady, whatever but after seeing this yesterday I just had to shake my head.

I was leaving school last night at a little after 7pm.

It was probably mid 40's temp wise.

As I was walking to the parking lot there was a girl coming toward me going to the school building. She had on a winter coat, scarf and mittens. I really didn't think it was that cold for the scarf and mittens and then realized why she was wearing them for warmth.

SHE HAD FLIP FLOPS ON WITH NO SOCKS!!

Now call me an idiot but wouldn't putting socks and shoes on have alleviated the being cold problem?

Okay, okay, I know I'm getting old when something this trivial bothers me.

Have a great Thursday!

Very Simple

At last I have finally completed a card in 30 minutes.
I have a tendency to dawdle when cardmaking as I am usually watching tv at the same time.
This very simple card needed to be done quickly since it is already late.
I have got to get better at getting cards out on time.
The cardstock is SU, the image cut out of a piece of 12x12 scrapbook paper.
The stamp on the card is from the dollar bin at Michael's.
The stamps on the back of the envelope are retired SU and I am not sure of the name.
I purchased just these two from an E-bay auction and I am not sure how many were in the original set.

Prayers

My sister Cindy is back in the hospital and had to have another back surgery. They found a piece of bone that had broken off and was lodged between the spine and the nerve that runs down her right leg. The second surgery was late last night after ten o'clock Chicago time. She did not get back into her room until after two am our time.

I just spoke to her and she is much better. The extreme pain is gone and she is just contending with normal surgery type pain. She is expected to be in the hospital another day or two and then back at home to begin what will hopefully be an uneventful recovery.

Nothing

It was a beautiful here in Chi-town and I spent time outdoors this weekend and did not craft.

I did purchase a 4 drawer rolling chest/cart. I have decided to use that for my punch storage. I really like the rod that I see on many blogs for punch storage but I don't really want to drill into the foundation of the house (my craft space is in the basement). I don't have interior walls so the mounting part became an issue. So the rolling storage will have to do.

Put out new solar lights in front of my house. Yesterday was nice and sunny so they charged up and cast their amber light last night. Very pretty.

No Card Today

I did make a card today that is so similar to the one posted yesterday that I am not even going to show it. That card is for my other great niece, Kassidy who is the younger sister by 1 year and 2 weeks to Virginia. In all I have 4 great nephew's and 3 great nieces. The oldest will be 12 and the youngest is 3.

Okay, since I am not posting a card I will tell the tale from online dating. As you know if you have been reading this blog I have "put myself online" to find a man. So, to follow is an e-mail exchange (within the dating site) between myself and a man whom I wasn't very interested in. For this post he will be referred to as MR. X.
My profile on this site was created by my co-worker Kerrie and she listed my city as the one in which we work.

Here is the exchange:

3/18
Mr. X: Oh Bensenville. That's closeby. I visit B theater sometimes. Drop me a note at (e-mail has been omitted for privacy reasons)and let's get acquainted. What are your weekends like? I'll be on this site another few days. Mr. X Are you a baseball fan?

A day or two passed and the next e-mail from Mr. X arrived in my onsite mailbox.
The subject line was: "Why no message"
Mr. X: Why are you here

Me: The reason that I didn't respond to your message is that I have had too many men all ask to correspond via their yahoo e-mail accounts. I am very skeptical of this and therefore do not answer those messages.

I don't like giving out my yahoo e-mail address because it gives a name on e-mails. From a previous online dating experience where someone got my name from the yahoo e-mail, figured out what company that I worked for by asking what my company did, found it online and showed up at my place of employment, I don't give out personal information this early in the getting to know you stage. I now have a fake last name on my yahoo e-mail because of that encounter.

Mr. X: How do you expect to get to know anyone?? Why be here if you don't get together with people

Me: I never said that I wouldn't get to know someone WITHIN THIS SITE. I don't reply to men who only want to correspond via their personal e-mails. Why be on this site if you only wish to communicate outside the parameters of the site? This place is designed to get to know a person within the site and then when you feel comfortable and a connection to share your information for outside contact. I wish to learn about a person a bit before I give out personal information where my e-mail may be sold or hacked by entities that I do not wish to have contact me.

Mr. X: Once you get to know someone through profile, then you would e-mail, phone and form a friendship. If someone is serious about making friendships and not just playing games with profiles. If someone doesn't send a real e-mail they are just playing with people. That's like emotional abuse.

Me: I don't understand how you can really get to know someone via their profile. The getting to know you stage is in my opinion, through e-mail. So, if you wish to get to know ME, then I would suggest that you correspond with me via this medium, within this site. Perhaps, if I felt comfortable I would provide an outside e-mail. The whole purpose of this and other sites like this is to allow people to get to know a person prior to divulging personal information. The fact that your are VERY arguementative via this medium causes me much concern about giving you any of my personal information.

Three days passed before this final note sent by Mr. X.

No, YOU are argumentative. Why would anyone want to be around you. That's why you are here. Anyone who is serious about getting to know someone writes through e-mail and does not play silly games. Then they send their phone number and talk. You obvious will never get to meet anyone because of the way you act. Everyone else here gave out their e-mail or wrote mine right away, and shortly we began talking on the phone. Only you are wasting your silly time doing nothing. You could have spent $15 on giving a poor person a couple of meals.



I never got to respond as his profile was pulled from the site. Boy am I glad that I didn't give him my yahoo e-mail address. It bothered me a bit not to be able to respond (even though I do have his yahoo address). I really wanted to know his reasoning behind the $15 for the poor. I don't know about him but a month's worth of time on that site was not $15, it was much more expensive.

Do you think I was being to cautious?
Should I respond to men that I am really not drawn to?

Your advice and comments are appreciated.

A New Creation

Here is a card that I made for my great niece Virginia.
SU white, pretty in pink and certainly celery cardstock, patterned paper from a slab with matching letter.



The envelope

A Few More Cards

Cardstock from Archiver's, 3 dimensionals from Archiver's, patterned paper from The Paper Source.


Cardstock from Archiver's, 3 dimensionals from Archiver's, patterned paper from The Paper Source.



SU "One of a Kind" stamp set and SU Close to Cocoa ink.



SU "Do the Hula" image stamped with Versamark on the yellow cardstock. The cardstock and 3 dimensional stickers from Archiver's.



SU's "Do the Hula" stamp set and SU Pixie Pink ink.