BloomingPink

Okay, so, remember below, I said I was gonna work on kids Valentines? Welllllll, I am, but FIRST, I worked on this for my swap and I'm just giggling. This was fun. I sure do hope the host of the swap is OPEN-MINDED and okay with this. I would hate to upset anyone. Anyway, hope it brings a smile to YOUR face.... BUT FIRST...this is what my craft table looked like when I got done (it looks like this every time I make a card for the first time!!!) NOW....the card.... Card Front: Inside: Details of the boy and girl...note that I "covered" them so they weren't "exposed". I just LOVE those stamps and haven't used them in a very long time. IS IT COOL OR WHAT?

I was reading on another blog I visit frequently (for inspiration)...and I saw this challenge for Valentine's Day. It's to create cards for the charity "Cards for Kids". Ultimate Valentine Challenge SOOOO, I'm going to make a few.

OH MY...For some reason, my day was just, so...random. I didn't get anything with substance done - really - other than laundry, images mailed to a stamper pal, and a jog. I organized a bit, but unless one cares or looks closely, one can't tell. I can (a little), but ONE can't...Guess days like this (down days) are necessary. So, finally, I perk up at 11 PM. my head has been all over "THANKS". Thanks for one friend in particular that I never truly thank - and oh - she deserves it. She is such a ray of sunshine in my life. So, I had to put something together to let her know. And after that (and if you look close you'll see what time it is), I also finished some cards for a Thank You swap. So, Thanks all around...For the year, friendship, general health, BENEFITS, and employment... Oh, and thanks for the Twilight Zone marathon on Sci-Fi that is going to run again this year on New Years Eve.

So, this is my motto for the new year!

Besides scrounging around in my stamps looking for a good humor sentiment to go with a good image stamp, I created this. I love this lady. She is all Sas and style. Very Diva. She reminds me of a woman I know in Pennsylvania (near Lancaster) who is amongst the cows and corn because of work...Her spirit really deserves to be closer to the city where she could really LIVE. Anyway, she loved her fancy shoes, but had a tough time walking in them for any length of time because of a long time injury in her foot. Anyway, this is a tribute to her! :-)

I created this card for a swap on SCS.

This was taken Christmas morning right after Dave woke up. Gnarly looking crew!

We finally put up our tree on Christmas Eve. Thank goodness we were able to finish it before Noon! I was so happy. Last year, I didn't get it finished until the afternoon (and that meant that everything else I needed to do got pushed off as well). So, here it is just after I finished: And here it is later after the sun went down. Isn't it pretty? What is amazing is that Dave and I had all our gifts wrapped and under the tree BEFORE 9 pm. That was a first too. We are usually up late and exhausted struggling to finish wrapping before we fall over snoring. (Although this morning as I was bringing down the present I couldn't wrap, I noticed that he forgot to wrap John's PJ's - they were still in the closet in a bag). Now all that good stuff said about prepping for what happens this morning (if Dave ever wakes up!) doesn't mean I'm DONE....'Cause of course, I'm not. I still have some Christmas cards to make and mail (figured it didn't matter if ...

Well, I was early with her birthday present but late with the Christmas present. Maybe some day the stars will align and (besides the gravity changes) I'll actually get everything I need to done on time. I'm not sure why, but all this took all afternoon...really, it did. I think what took the most time was figuring out how to make the box of chocolates, but now, if I repeated this (soon, I should add), it would go much quicker. So, here is what I did. I hope she likes it and doesn't give me too much of a hard time about not using recycled wrapping supplies! Box of chocolates: Lid: Yummy wrapped insides: I finally finished just before John and Dave came home from a swim meet. Maybe I get too distracted or something, but I FEEL like I'm working on something constantly. I guess it's gears in the head, because the end product doesn't seem to look like much work (but isn't it pretty?) By the way, John was in two competitions, one right after the other....bre...

I did a Naked Mail swap at SplitCoastStampers and today I received my mail! It was awesome: Thanks to kidsmomscrappin for such a generous gift!

Yesterday I mailed the gifts to my sister, Regina for her and her sons. She has three boys ages from 6 to 14. They are into games so I got them each very modest Gamestop cards (again, wimping out and going the easy route). For my sister, I sent a large Wilton Cupcake pan. I love that pan and she owns a catering business. She mentioned how much she liked that pan too, so I got her one thinking she would have lots of fun with it. I think her business is really starting to take off, which is good, because she was recently divorced and she is really struggling financially. I hate the gift card holders that they give you at the stores, so I made my own. Here is a picture. I hope the boys don't think these are too "girly". They were quick and easy...and definitely improve the way they look. The band slides off and you open it: Today, I finished packaging up my youngest brother, John, and his family's gifts. This fall, I went to the Rennaisance Festival in Baltimor...

And all through the house..... Is clutter, the messes! And NO TREE YET. Yep, that's right! Again this year, we are waiting until the last minute to get the tree up. Oh well. We'll probably have it up until February again. I'm exhausted and it is raining like crazy outside. It's cold, and I'm cozy sitting RIGHT HERE. My husband's office party is tonight, so I went out in the torrential downpour to find a little black dress. I found one on sale at Macy's for guess how much - $20.00! What a great bargain. And it is cute. It was a humbling event trying on dresses. My butt has gotten much larger this year. I guess because I spend more time sitting on it than moving it around exercising. SO, after purchasing the dress, I went out and purchased a pair of form enhancing hose. Okay, enough pouting. I did create a Christmas card today and made about 30 of them. So, if I can get them addressed, maybe there is SOME hope that my friends and family (that will get...

Besides Christmas, this is an extremely month in general at our house. All three kids have birthdays between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I know, I know, just thinking about that is exhausting, isn't it? We celebrated John's birthday a couple days after his actual birthday (he turned 18 this year). He wanted Corned Beef for his meal, and I think that between Dave and John, they ate about 2 lbs each! Because they were STUFFED with MEAT (and I was just feeling a little nauseous after watching them eat, we waited on the cake until later that night. It was a Friday night, making both Dave and I SOOOO tired (and so was John) after a long week getting up at 5 am and going to bed at 11 pm. Unfortunately, we were not presenting the best party atmosphere for such a monumental occasion. Anyway, here's a picture in the dark with John and his birthday pie (I made a cheesecake). For some reason (that goes back to when the were wee) it's a tradition in our house to have the lights out...

I mean look at Kelly Rippa, now that skinny girl woman looks like she has the body of a 12 year old, and she has no boobs, and I am thinking if I lost a whole bunch of weight (ok thinking and doing is a whole different ball-game people) would I get tinier boobs? Who knows....and did I spell tinier right, or did I say I want boobs of tin? Well if they came with buns of steel I guess I could settle for boobs of tin, and what? abs of washboard? I've been following Di's blog for awhile...and....I find her heartwarmingly unique, honest, and at times, silly. Go here to read her: http://dianagibbs.typepad.com/

Isn't that picture a beautiful, peaceful image? I took this when I was home over the Thanksgiving Holiday. We went for a walk along the NorthRidge Trail. This was a trail I frequented when I was young. It is a trail that spans the ridges between Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and Oliver Springs. We probably only walked about 2 miles on the trail and jumped off about 1 mile from my mother's house, walking back along the road. It was a pleasant, warm afternoon, and these cute tiny little pinecones were enjoying the weather. Anyway, it's posted here to help calm my spirit. This month is just screaming by. I have many gifts that need to go into the mail - but - I first have to finish them! So, darn, I'm more "behinder" than I thought. My employer is starting to really feel the impact of the economic times. For the first time since I joined this particular group, we've been told that only fully billable folks will be working starting on December 22. This poli...

I am participating in a Naughty Christmas Card swap online at Splitcoaststampers. I have quite an assortment of Christmas rubber stamps and a few quotes that are a little on the edge, so I thought it would be fun. However, it was a challenge coming up with a image that would go with the text...but I finally landed on this. This is what Yello would look like if I made her wear antlers! This is the inside of the card. I have always liked that RBBB stamp of the dog (and yes, I know, it doesn't REALLY go with the front, but it really is naughty!)

Hey Jean...I found you a new tool!!! It's on its way to you!

I'm so ready for the weekend! And next week is going to be a very easy week, because I only work on Monday...then over the river and through the woods. Anyway, in celebration of the upcoming break, I created this card!

I think today was the first day I realized, I mean actually realized, that Christmas is fast approaching. With my daughter not home for Thanksgiving or Christmas this year, I guess my motivation is just not gearing up for merriment. In our team meeting, we were discussing absences and low and behold, I realized that I was off next week to go to my mom's house.....for Thanksgiving. I couldn't believe it. Already. I think it's time to build my list of presents to make or aquire or I won't make it in time. Yikes.

So, here's a photo of my latest painting. I finished it in early October, but just now got around to posting it for you to see. I'm calling it "Statue". It's rather large - 24 x 36, so when framed, I'm not exactly sure where I'm gonna put it. Marsha, an awesome painter in the class, suggested a gallery, but I think she was just being nice. Anyway...I like it! Hope you do too. And here's the goof finishing it up. I seriously needed a salon appointment that day.

Author: Me! Surrounded by Paper And Covered in Ink Must Make a Card But I Just Can't Think Several Ideas Abound from my Head Paper to Ink Mistakes I do Dread Just Do It! Just Do It! I Hear Myself Say Creation a Must To Finish the Day The First One is Crumpled and Tossed On the Floor In a Short Timeframe There Appear Many More With Time it Erupts A New Idea Formed With Trail-Blazing Fury A New Card is Born

Well, today is it. Time to vote for the next four years. I hope you were doing well and able to get out and flip the switch for the candidates you felt would do the best job. Take Care!

So, last night I had two little helpers to hand out candy. Here are two of my kitties, Kinky and Coma, all dressed up waiting for the gouls to come by for treats. They were both so very cooperative with the outfits! No complaining. I was surprised. Kinky is the bee and Coma is the one in the T-shirt. Of course, Yello, is obviously missing from the designer-wear. She would have NOTHING to do with me putting ANYTHING on her. We only had a group of three little kids show up. :-( I live on a single street culdesac and there aren't any little kids anymore, so I guess we aren't an inviting street for raking in the chocolate. Anyway, after about two hours of waiting for the Gouls, this is what Kinky looked like. Her spirit was gone! Isn't she the cutest little thing! She protected the goods until she just couldn't keep herself awake one moment longer!

So, a friend at work, Rick, is always poking fun with me about "being middle-aged". I deserve it, really, because I haven't given him one moments peace if I can jab him about being 50. He turned 50 last year and I really gave him a hard time and still do when presented with a good and laughable opportunity. And of course, I keep telling him, "I'm in no-way middle-age." Well, sometime this week (either T or W), he poked again and followed up with a question. "So, exactly when is old". My little sick mind immediately came up with an answer, but I kept it to myself. The Answer: When you are grey in 25% or more in your pubic hair region.

By Jim Fergus I started this book in March when I went on my Rah Rah Adventure with my friends to our friend Jean's house. I finally finished it on the plane on my way back from California. I only seem to take the time to read when I'm traveling. I really liked this book. It gave life to Native Americans during the time when the white people stole the land and pushed them all onto reservations. It is a first person account - written as journal entries - from 1 of 1000 white women that was traded by the US Government to the Indians for horses. We give you 1000 of our white women to breed and in turn, you'll give us 1000 of your horses. This woman (May Dodd) writes about her life over the months following her agreement to enter the "program" through to the end (which I won't tell....you have to go get the book!) Anyway, it was....thought provoking...touching...sad. I felt like I knew May, felt proud to be a woman, developed a renewed admiration for the Nat...