southjersey girl

more variation of the same design

2012-02-14T15:55:00.001-08:00

The difference from yesterday was that I used the cupcake stamp and colored it with copics and added and tiny dot of stickler.

birthday cards

2012-02-13T16:10:00.001-08:00

Here are two cards using the My minds eye fine and dandy paper cut and then layered to create the background and stitched on the sewing machine. The scallop and stitched circle dies along with the all around stamp time are from My creative time with Emma. The face in the center is from peachy keen stamps.

In Love

2012-02-11T16:53:00.000-08:00

I am in love with photoshop elements and Kerri Bradford's templates.. BUT I want to learn how to create my own templates.. I really need to research a course on elements.... I have always liked my layouts about the pictures not the embellishments. I have to say some layouts I see are works of art and the pictures are lost. I like that now I can put 7 images on 1 page to capture the memory without having to scrap 4 pages to capture the same event like when I printed all 4 X 6 or digital size photos to do the same thing. I often found it hard to be creative enough to scrap that many pages for the same event. Now I don't have to and I LOVE it! I made some cards tonight pictures will follow after I take them. I printed 2 pages of photos to scrap..... heaven.

layout

2012-02-11T12:26:00.001-08:00

My first layout using a Keri Bradford storyboard template in photoshop elements :-) The font is makin the grade and the flag drape from the independence day cartridge.

layered mats

2012-02-08T16:14:00.001-08:00

The other night I spent a couple hours creating these layered mats for cards in all different colors and patterns. I used My Minds Eye Fine and dandy double sided paper cut in various angled strips. I then put a runner of tape on a piece of thin card stock 4 X 5.25 and then laid the strips on. I trimmed the edges and then sewed around the edges on the sewing machine. The frame and stamp are paper trey ink. You will see the other mats when I get my order from my creative time with Emma.. I'm waiting for the stitched flower die and matching stamp set to come. I also placed a paper trey ink order yesterday so it will be like Christmas here in a couple of days... I treated myself to a few things with my income tax return :-)

90 years of fun

2012-02-07T15:36:00.000-08:00

This is a two page layout of my moms 90th birthday party last April.... My oldest brother's job was to take pictures of everyone who came to put in a book for her.. grrrr I'm still waiting for the pictures. I am gonna have to be on him. These were the few that I actually took. I am playing with arranging pictures differently. I am just tired of 2 to 4 pictures on a page matted. Looking to try something new. I used gypsy font and all papers and embellishments that have been in my stash. I am trying to reframe from paper buying unless I need a solid color to match what I have. I have so much it is silly to keep buying.

Pinterest inspired card

2012-02-06T12:19:00.000-08:00

I got the idea for this card on Pinterest. It said it was pinned from the cricut blog but when I went to the cricut blog to give credit for the design I could not find it. I actually made 4 different versions of the card using different pattern paper layers. The be mine heart was cut from designers calendar and the little hearts were cut from plantin school book. I used an ek success border punch for the edges.

back to regular scrapping

2012-02-05T05:18:00.000-08:00

Easter 2011.. I forget which letter font I cut these on but the grass, egg and chocolate bunny came from the Easter 2010 seasonal cricut cartridge. The pattern paper has been in my stash for a couple years from a big stack that the cover is long gone from.

finished

2012-02-04T17:01:00.000-08:00

My daughters graduation album is done!! Yeah, finished it Thursday night. Here is the last page. A picture of her going to work on her first day in the hospital, in her scrubs. She doesn't like the picture but it was the best of the two I took. Next time she should smile more instead of giving me a hard time about taking her picture. I think I mentioned before I collected nursing stickers for 4 years to make this book and then hardly used any in it.. LOL. I used a bunch of stickers and brads on this page.

smashbook

2012-02-01T16:17:00.001-08:00

I am loving my smash book. I can tell you that post-it notes and cell phone camera's are making it possible to remember to document things. Project Life seems to be the new it thing... Funny that I had decided to record fun outings etc in my daily life with my smash book before I heard about the project life kits. I think a smash book is the way to go for me because I don't want to be confined to those pockets. I also think it funny that on my own the last two summers I used a similar system to get all my photos in pockets and add little pocket scrapbooking notes along the way to record trips where I wanted ALL the photos in for memories and it would be impossible to scrapbook.

My daughters final page is designed and needs to be assembled tomorrow night at scrapbooking. I took the album apart and added the extra pages. ( Have I mentioned how much I hate to do this?? I always stab myself with the screw driver somehow.)

I still need to get at least 2 more Valentine cards made.. work is never done.. LOL

Oh and I got my desk space cleaned & organized. Lets see how long that last.....

another valentine

2012-01-30T17:22:00.001-08:00

I used Papertrey Ink card base. The pattern paper was My Minds Eye Lost and Found, the solid color and silver metallic were from my stash. Brown ribbon and an ek success border punch. The heart was cut from cricut cart all mixed up.

Working tonight trying to plan my daughters last scrapbook page. I collected nursing stickers for 4 years and now rarely use them in layouts. Trying to incorporate some on the last page.

starting Valentines

2012-01-29T16:48:00.000-08:00

This card is my version of a card with x and o's from the cricut magazine. I am thinking this is for my son. That is why I am using more subdued colors. The papers are all from My Mind's Eye Lost and Found except the base that is Paper Trey Ink. ( I really love the 6 X 6 My Minds Eye paper pads for making cards )The letters are cut using the storybook cricut font. The ribbon is from my stash. I inked some of the papers with creamy brown color box inks.

Feeling Better

2012-01-28T18:04:00.000-08:00

I just got home from AC (Atlantic City) from an overnight winter leadership conference that was informative.. ( Still on meds but improving every second I feel from earlier in the week) Got to room and spend time with a very special colleague that has become a good friend over the years.. Girl time last night and then shopping therapy at the outlets after before coming home late tonight. hehehehe everyone thinks we all hit the casinos... I rarely do and when I do it is not much. I love to see a product for my money.. Today's irony... I bought 1 thing for myself!! I kept texting the kids and sending pixs and everything I bought except 1 thing under 40 was for them and the are paying me back!!!! YEAH a good day...

nothing to post

2012-01-25T13:38:00.000-08:00

I have been fighting an upper respiratory thing this week and just crashing in the evenings after work. Today I couldn't take it anymore and went to the doctor after work.. 4 scripts should fix me up right? Hope to be back crafting soon.

An observation. Why when bloggers get tired of blogging do they fill their blog with guest designers?

Also.... rumors are Provo craft had another shake up and restructuring. I hate when people lose their jobs.

smashbook

2012-01-22T17:09:00.001-08:00

Okay my New Years resolution was to make sure I spend more time having fun! I tend to be a homebody and I get caught up in always making sure all my chores are done BEFORE I do anything fun. If my friends passing this last fall taught me nothing else is that everyday is a gift to be enjoyed and that the dust bunnies will be there tomorrow. So I am journaling my fun outings and what evers in a smash book for 2012. No fancy scrapbook pages just notes and pictures or programs to document. I got to use my photoshop elements to size down the pictures that I put in here. The other neat thing is I have an according file box of stickers from when I first started scrapping. I rarely use stickers anymore and this is a perfect way to use them and not let them go to waste!

more graduation pages

2012-01-22T10:10:00.000-08:00

This really is the never ending book but my daughter will have it for a lifetime of memories. I actually have 3 more pages to do and its done. A two page layout of our luncheon after graduation and on the last page I am going to put a picture of her on her first day of work as a nurse. These pages still needs the journaling added.

I spent all day yesterday inside since we had some snow and ice. I worked hours playing with photoshop elements. I resized pictures to put in my smash book. I had ink issues so I couldn't print them until today. I am off soon to a local theatre to see Mame but hope to get some crafting in tonight after my daughter wakes up.. Yesterday and today I don't want to run my cricut machines. My craft room is near her bedroom.. She is working nights 7 PM to 7:30 AM and this was her weekend to work. We are all adjusting to her new schedule.

photshop elements is in the house

2012-01-21T17:06:00.000-08:00

Okay we had mild snow over night with some icing .. plus my daughter is on nights this weekend so we have to keep the house quiet... so no vacuuming.. hehehe a good excuse. I spent hours today and I do mean hours learning to create pages of sized photos to print.... the good news I can do it. The bad news I need a new ink cart for the printer because it is printing orange because the blue part is empty. I thought no problem I'll print on my Epson and true to form after cleaning the heads one one of the individual color inks ran out!!! grrrrr I was so ready to put the photos in my smash book!!! Off to staples tomorrow. I do know I can create 8 X 10 templates to send out but I wanted instant gratification today that was not to be. Can't wait to learn more of the color editing and text box etc.

I did it!

2012-01-19T03:45:00.000-08:00

I splurged and ordered photoshop elements. I used to use it many pc's ago. Then I became a mac person and have used ilife for taking out red/eye and such but I am looking for something more in my scrapbook pages. I really admire Creations with Christina and Kerri Bradford. I want to be more creative in the sizing of my pictures in my layouts and also use photo collages. Terri Bradford has some nice pre-made templates you can purchase in a PDF to use in Photoshop or elements. My software is due to arrive today so I can't wait!!!!! Then the learning curve happens LOL!

I have like 4 more graduation album pages to finish and then I am DONE!!! I have never taken this long to do an album. I had such a hard time going back to it after my friend Linda was killed that it sat for months while I grieved.

I have not done any of the chronological albums since the spring so it is time to catch up!!

scrapbook pages

2012-01-17T03:55:00.001-08:00

For the next few pages of the scrapbook I am going to be labeling all the people. This page doesn't have all the names in yet because I am waiting for my daughter to tell me all the names. LOL I have pictures of her with all her friends and sorority sisters that I KNOW in 10 years she will not remember all the names of even though she thinks she will. She has to trust me on this one where age is wisdom because she will lose contact then forget the names.

I've been crafting

2012-01-16T11:50:00.000-08:00

Just not taking pictures and putting them up. Here is a Chinese New Year card for my brother and his wife. I already made my nieces and posted before. I used a pagoda embossing folder and a stamping up stamp for this card.

I'll post some more graduation scrapbook pages I finished later in the week. Have a great day!

Finally finished

2012-01-10T16:13:00.000-08:00

The speech teachers wreath is finally finished...I worked on it Saturday and Sunday but took yesterday off... I still need to attach a red bow to the top but I added a little extra stickles that is still drying..The paper was from a specialty collection called recess that someone gave me. I but letters from the pooh font and the red glitter dots were from the clearance section at Michaels.. The speech teacher is a scrapper so she will appreciate the work that went into it.

Big sigh!!

2012-01-07T20:25:00.000-08:00

I tried to etch my friends name into a red and white wine glass for her birthday on Monday... It has some bleeding so not the best attempt. I am going to go buy a back up gift tomorrow but give her these anyway since I am NOT Lori.. Next time I will practice on CHEAP wine glasses when I decide to try this again not expensive ones from Bed Bath and Beyond. Sigh..

Funny Story

2012-01-06T15:00:00.000-08:00

Okay I have a funny story to share. The speech teacher at work keeps commenting on my classroom door wreaths this year.. Saying she is waiting for one. Well her room just got moved to the old music room and she is having a room warming party with her famous bean dip and snacks on Black Friday after our in-service. She made up invitations today for the staff and sent them out and it said nothing is needed but your presence unless you are .... my name.. she would of course welcome some wreaths for her classroom door.. So my weekend project is born. Off to get a wreath base tomorrow. That will determine the size of the largest rosettes. I have some "school themed" paper here that I will use with some solids and I am thinking a school themed wreath with the words speech welded hanging in the middle. Since we are a pre-k, k building I am thinking alphabet letters for the florets center embellishments. Lets see where my idea takes me..

No project from scrapping last night. I had a layout set to put together but my two good friends called and wanted help making baby shower invitations with a teapot flair ( Alice in Wonderland) so I spent the night cutting the shapes for them and showing them how to distress the invite parts with Tim Holts vintage photo ink.. They are gonna look unique. You pull tea bags out of the pot (tags cut tags bags, boxes and more) to get the shower invitation information. Nothing uniform about the patterns used on the teapots so they are all unique for the uniform solid base and teabag tags having from the pot that pull them all together in the color palate.

snow wreath

2012-01-03T16:22:00.000-08:00

This is my winter wreath for my classroom door. I used two different snowflake punches to create the edges on the rosettes. A fiskers and making memories. The snowflakes were cut from winter woodland and When its cold outside cricut cartridges.

speakers

2012-01-02T10:30:00.000-08:00

This page in my daughters graduation book is about the more prominent speakers. My house is undecorated..yeah.

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T06:53:00.001-08:00

And bye..bye... trees and decorations.. My daughter hates when I start putting stuff away. Me I am ready. Its been up since black friday week. First the big tree!!

Happy New Year (Chinese)

2011-12-31T05:27:00.000-08:00

I always make a chinese new year card for my niece that was adopted from China. It will be the year of the Dragon on January 23rd. I used the Pagoda cartridge and a pagoda embossing folder.

more graduation pages

2011-12-31T05:03:00.001-08:00

graduation scrapbook pages

2011-12-30T17:33:00.000-08:00

It felt really good to get back to scrappin pictures this week. I did 4 2 page layouts. A couple of the pages need a little this or that but for the most part they are done. I have to say that after looking at the cricut magazine I have a very simple style that is picture heavy. I look at most of the layouts in the magazine and I feel its about the cricut art and the pictures are lost.. So here are two of my simple pages.

hope to have pictures tomorrow

2011-12-29T09:53:00.000-08:00

I have been scrappin.. I haven't worked on layouts in months. This week I put together the pieces to assemble 4 2-page layouts at scrapping tonight. (They may not all make it done) I was in a layout block and I finally decided its about the pictures and to stop worrying about everything being unique or this or that and just started putting it together. Made major headway on my daughters graduation album this week. Sometimes I spend too much time looking at blogs and not enough time just doing it!!!

simple guy b-day card

2011-12-26T03:06:00.000-08:00

I really struggle with guy cards.. I made this simple guy card for the twins b-day on January 9th. They are the 2 brothers that are immediately older than me of my 4 brothers.

reindeer food

2011-12-23T18:56:00.000-08:00

I have the good fortune of seeing my great nephew everyday. I go into his classroom to work with children that need extra help. I happen to know that at 5 he is super excited about Christmas this year so tonight I made him some reindeer food. I cut the bag on the Imagine using the Santa's Village cartridge. The reindeer was cut from create a critter on the Imagine with customs colors. I used stickles and google eyes.

Woot, woot..

2011-12-23T15:11:00.000-08:00

It's finally winter break. 10 days with no school. I love my job but also love to be able to recharge my batteries. I cleaned off my craft table late this afternoon. Time to get back scrapping! I found this flower that my son had made one afternoon playing with my Imagine so I made it up into a card. The sentiment is a little crooked but that's okay. Its an original.

My space is clear and hope to spend some quality time in here after Christmas. Tomorrow is family gift exchange in the afternoon, dinner with my mom, church, more family gift exchange then home to prepare my sticky buns for Christmas morning ( a tradition for so many years I can't count. They bake while we open gifts on Christmas morning.) Christmas day we will eat mid-day then my kiddies are off to see their dad and Nanny.

A friend today told me about the spectrum noir markers. I looked them up. Very interesting and the pricing is amazing.. Here's hoping I get some Christmas cash so I can purchase a few and actually compare them to my very expensive copics whose price is going up, sniff, sniff!

non craft post

2011-12-20T17:07:00.000-08:00

I just had to post that my son that has been laid off for sometime got a WONDERFUL job offer today making more money than he made in NYC with great benefits. He is such a kind soul and my heart has ached for him while he has been looking for 2 years. He worked so hard to get his MBA at 23 and this has been breaking my heart. Hugs to him. I have had my Christmas... in the last month. My daughter got a nursing job and now this.. WOW a great ending to a year that has been filled with lots of sadness losing so many people I know.

On the baking front I make toffee bars last night and mixed the cream cheese cookies that go in the freezer. Tonight I made spiced pecans, oatmeal lace cookies and coconut macaroons dipped half way in milk chocolate. Tomorrow when my daughter is off it is the butter cookies with the press. ( She wants to sprinkle them) Still need to roll the cream cheese cookie logs I froze in green and red sugar slice and bake. Probably Thursday night for that. Oh and tonight I printed more labels with the imagine to cover nuggets to toss around the cookie trays.

Probably be MIA at least a week

2011-12-15T15:57:00.000-08:00

I am pretty sure there will be no post between now and Christmas but I might get lucky. Coming off not feeling well since Monday. Horse voice, sore throat and congested.... I did a major SAMS run tonight. Tomorrow party, Saturday memorial for my Father in law (Yes I have been divorced 12 years but I was married for 20 and they have always been generous to me.. They have actually supported my cricut habit over the years with their generous Christmas gifts funding my first cricut expression and then it just rolled from there) Saturday night party, Sunday Christmas show at the local theatre with my mother and then next week Monday 3rd meal at my church for the needy and the rest of the week will be devoted to trying to make some Christmas cookies. Busy times but I feel blessed to have the opportunity to have them. So thankful that my daughter started her new job at a local hospital. She worked so hard for her BSN and I am grateful for the opportunity for her to use her degree.

sympathy card

2011-12-13T18:06:00.001-08:00

I finally got some solid hours in my scrap room and made 6 of this card tonight. I used the Pagoda cart and the pagoda embossing folders. The stamp was my pink stamper.. lots of layers and the bamboo was a pain to layer at the size I cut it.. LOL!

busy, busy

2011-12-13T03:47:00.001-08:00

Busy, busy with holiday things. I did manage to finish up all the not done things in my craft room. Yeah! I added glitter to my elf cocoa things I printed on the Imagine. I used ultra fine MS glitter. To write the names I used a fine point glue pen to adhere the glitter.

Christmas cards ready to go!!

2011-12-08T03:54:00.000-08:00

I think I counted 63 Christmas cards when I finished... It was fun opening the box of the cards I made all year to get them ready.. Some I had forgotten I made.. LOL. Dropping them at the post office today.

B-day card

2011-12-05T18:21:00.001-08:00

My friend is turning 50 this week and having a big party on Thursday night. These are not the colors I was looking for but as I thumbed through paper stacks these colors jumped out. I used Martha Stewart pattern and coordinating paper. Papertrey ink card base. The 50th was cut with black letter, the happy from I think the pop-up card cart and I can't remember where I found the swirls on the gypsy.

Holiday season is here!

2011-12-04T15:18:00.000-08:00

Thursday Barnes & Noble night for my school. Friday out with friends. Saturday WW meeting, hair highlights and cut for the holidays and Toys for Tots Party. Sunday Day trip with my brother, SIL and mom to Cape May.. My brother is really good with the day trips for my mom. My kids and I do all the day to day things to help, doc appointments, groceries, trash out etc.. but my brother Mike thinks of the special things. I am making a New Years resolution after today to stop and smell the roses more.. There are so many free day trips in my area and I never take advantage. I am homebody at heart but when I take these day trips and I see all the people I think why do I hide in my house so much.. fun day. My mom worked in Cape May pre and during WW 2 at a hotel that is still there and operating today. She loves it there. At 90 she needs to see and enjoy things more. My mom, Sil and brother are in the pictures. I am the picture taker..as usual.. :-)

No crafting tonight

2011-11-30T17:21:00.000-08:00

Dinner meeting after work. Just got home at 8:15. No crafting tonight. My bed is calling me to it early.

grrrrrr

2011-11-29T15:56:00.000-08:00

I made 9 jars of homemade hot cocoa and ran out of Chocolate chips and marshmallows. I still need to make 3 more!.. Adding Martha Stewart Glitter to the cocoa labels I printed yesterday. I will take a picture when they are all complete.

Sana's Village xmas card

2011-11-29T03:45:00.001-08:00

I used Santa's Village to cut the patterned background paper and the jack-in-the-box. Plantin schoolbook for the tag. Stampin up stamp.

hot chocolate Jar covers

2011-11-28T17:55:00.000-08:00

Every year I make mason jars of homemade hot chocolate mix to give away to friends and family at Christmas. Every year I say this is the last year because it is not cheap to make and every year my kids say but MOM! Any how tonight I worked on making all the labels that will go around the jars. All the pattern paper and labels were printed and cut on the Imagine using Santa's Village. The circles are cut at 2" and fit perfectly in the flat part of the mason jar lid. I plan to start making some of the jars tomorrow. When I get some done I will post what they look like with the labels on.. Takes more than a night to mix 12 batches of hot chocolate mix.

Another scraplift card

2011-11-28T03:42:00.000-08:00

I was so in the mood to craft and just relax yesterday but kept staring at my carts with a mental block. When this happens the cricut message boards can be so inspirational.. So with that said this is not an original idea but one from the message boards with minor variations that make it mine. Cart used was Imagine snow angel, spell binders die and cuddle bug embossing folder.

cricut message board inspiration

2011-11-27T12:14:00.000-08:00

This is not an original design!!! I got my inspiration from the circut message board. I used the Imagine snow angels cart, stickles, liquid white opal and a stampin up stamp.

Imagine Santa's Village snowman

2011-11-27T10:58:00.000-08:00

Super simple card with an action wobble.. hehehe my daughter thinks the snowman's eyes are creepy!

joy on the mantel

2011-11-25T13:13:00.000-08:00

I think that now that the blocks are in place the y looks off.. I may recut and reapply the vinyl to the last block.

flowers

2011-11-25T13:04:00.000-08:00

I think this flower turned out beautiful and sadly I did not make it. I got florals embellished when ACMoore was having a 4 day sale for cheap!!! My son played with my imagine and Martha Stewart Glitter in various colors created this flower. I think it is beautiful and am going to make it up into a card. hard to believe this started out as white cardstock!

glass blocks

2011-11-24T06:36:00.000-08:00

These glass blocks will go in small stands and sit on my living room mantel in the garland.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T04:49:00.000-08:00

Best wishes for a happy and safe Thanksgiving.. My son made this card. Can you believe it?

finally crafted tonight

2011-11-22T19:16:00.001-08:00

Pictures to be coming.. Glittered class blocks and cut vinyl letters to go on them to put on one of my mantels for Christmas. I got Christmas Village Imagine cart in the mail and started playing with that before The biggest loser came on.. The only show I faithfully watch right now. I am using it as inspiration on my weight watchers journey... I never really watched the show until 2 years ago. I used to bowl in a singles league every Tuesday night for years after my separation and divorce.. I stopped when I took an intense graduate course.. 2 New years ago I watched the biggest loser marathon on new years day and motivated myself to lose 28 pounds.. Then i had surgery...My son lost his job and moved home.. I had more surgery from a hernia from my original surgery and I gained everything back.... I am determined to lose it one pound at a time now... Expect bad weeks and say that is okay but keep the journey going to good health. I promised Linda I would do it.. We both signed up to win the million from Dr. Oz. I figure since her life was taken from us I can still do this for both of us.

wine bottle tags

2011-11-18T03:36:00.000-08:00

I got this wine bottle tag die from papertrey in to dress up bottles of wine that I am giving for Christmas. I used a stamp I got at ckc last summer and used water color markers so the ink would not bleed through to the back. I will be inking the edges but the stickles was still wet when I took this picture.

Thanksgiving

2011-11-17T18:15:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving place card/treat holders... The turkey was cut at 4" on the Imagine using the enjoy the seasons cart. I layered the wing and head piece with pop-ups. The box behind was cut from tags, bags, boxes and more cart as large as I could make it on the gypsy. I had originally designed it in the cricut craft room and flood filled it with a nice textured box over the plain brown but there is a glitch in the craft room right now with the Imagine . Sometimes it works fine some times it prints and doesn't cut.. I cut one fine but then it just started printing. Since I needed 8 of these I did NOT want to waste lots of ink getting the thing to finally print and cut 8 of these so I went to brown and gold boxes because I didn't have enough of all the same of any one color.. Okay how does that happen when my son says I need a paper intervention.. Problem is I never have enough of the solid colors to go with all of my pattern paper. It's pattern paper I need an intervention for. hehehehe

non-crafting post

2011-11-16T18:20:00.000-08:00

I have to say that I have NEVER had a season like this past fall where I had so many people I was connected with pass. It has definitely sapped my energy in all aspects of my life. I no sooner feel like I recover from one loss when I get hit with another. Because of this my crafting has slowed down while I mourn losses and regroup. On top of that I struggle with being a single mom that now has two beautiful children who worked hard to get through school.. my son 26 living home unable to find work for almost 2 years ( layed off from a job in NYC) with an MBA and my daughter a spring graduate with a BSN in nursing looking for work.... Breaks my heart and my bank account. My food bill has tripled, utilities are up in all areas and my 20 somethings don't get that momma doesn't get child support anymore but I am paying for everything I did when I got it. I read the paper and overseas is settling into a recession as well. I don't think that bodes well for us. I have to say that I am eternally thankful for my job so I can support my children and provide for what we need. With that said I have learned that in the crafting life there is a big void between want and need. I need atg tape to compete a project with supplies on hand. I do not need the latest hello Thursday release at top dollar prices.

November is for Thanks.. I am thankful for my God, children, my home, my mother, my MIL, my brothers and their wives and families, my ex and his siblings, My job, my friends, scrapping Friends, church, extended nieces and nephew, supportive colleagues and just life in general. After all these friends and family losses all you can do is be thankful for life and the ones you love.

Easy nugget coverage

2011-11-15T12:18:00.000-08:00

I like to cover nuggets and put them into containers for the holidays. Found a way easier way that cutting paper and taping on. I flood fill a rectangle shape the size of the mailing labels with the imagine. The labels are the perfect size to peel and cover the nugget.

sign

2011-11-14T18:41:00.001-08:00

We are going to have sneaker/wear purple every Wednesday at work to raise money to plant a nice purple flowering tree along with a bench. I made this sigh to put on the jug where people will drop their money on Wednesdays. I didn't have a cart that had a bench.. the only one I found was on a sports cart I don't have but I thought this would be okay. Several people didn't like calling it a memorial fund so I came up with this name instead.

Thanksgiving card

2011-11-09T19:34:00.000-08:00

I colored 4 of this Stamp by Judith the other night. Last night I made them up into 4 thanksgiving cards. The patterned paper is from K&Company fall stack. The solids are recollections and the card base papertrey ink..

Having fun tonight playing in the cricut craft room. I played a few times when it was in beta but had problems with printing and cutting on the Imagine. Tonight it worked slow but beautiful. Making place setting favor boxes for Thanksgiving. Will post a picture when I am done them another night.

sympathy card

2011-11-06T09:49:00.001-08:00

A dear high school friend called this morning to tell me that her son had passed away last night. He had struggled with depression and substance abuse for years and they had had him in treatment centers several times. I guess he just gave up. Anyhow, I started going through my carts trying to find the right image to make a sympathy card for her. When I saw this bird soaring upwards on the pagoda cart I knew it was the image to send her. At least now her son is free.

desk banner

2011-11-03T18:43:00.001-07:00

We have a secretary being transferred to my school starting Monday.. I wanted to welcome her. I know she collects cows... I made this to put across her desk when she walks in on Monday. The cows are create-a-critter, the blue mats are elegant edges and the lettering is simply sweet.

November Wreath

2011-11-03T13:49:00.000-07:00

I used a K&Company fall stack for the floret paper. All the embellishments were done with the Imagine Enjoy the Season.

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T18:04:00.001-07:00

I don't get as excited on Halloween as I used to because at school I host the alternate activity.. meaning those children who do not celebrate and their parents still send them to school.. BTW I don't know if I mentioned that I teach BSI kindergarten which is remedial groups for kindergarten. Anyhow I digress... I have to say that I LOVE giving out the candy. I will not let my kids do it now that they're grown cause I am always hoping to see my school kiddies to say hi,.... PLUS my kids don't pay attention to the "special" neighbors that we give the special treat bags to.. ( the immediate block kiddies). I had a daddy yell from the curb tonight aren't you Mrs. White? I said yes and he said... I'm Isaiah..a former student of mine with his child.. I love it.. As a K teacher I don't get to see many of my kids grown up remembering me.. since I used to teach special ed kindergarten, then BSI.... For these kids school isn't always the best experience.

The glass block story

2011-10-27T16:57:00.000-07:00

I was walking through ACMoore and saw these glass blocks on special buy. My son and I pondered them.. Thinking we could glitter them like the balls... Then put vinyl lettering on them with a light inside... I got 3 for my mantel that will spell out joy.. Those are not done yet. I bought one with the stand to make a birthday gift for a friend who's birthday is in December. Anyway, I glittered the block and it sat.. On another trip to ACMoore I got the light bulb that clips into the bottom of the stand to go in the block. In the store I had the brain child to etch the block instead of vinyl it because I had just seen Tammer Skinner post pictures of glass etching. So I toss the etching cream in the cart.. NEVER looking at the price!!! 24.99!!!!!! WOWSER.. So I finally make the stencil.. etch the block and it works great but you can't even see it with the glitter back round with or without the light on.. So I cut the white vinyl and placed it right on top of the etching... I am going to find a project to etch.. I always get my one brother a bottle of Merlot for Christmas.. I think I will get a wine glass to go with it and etch his name on it....

Finally on a roll

2011-10-26T17:53:00.000-07:00

Tonight it the first night that I have been really productive in the craft room for some time. I have had meetings, obligations, all while in deep grieving for my good friend. Still really struggling with that. My allergies have been terrible and I waited way to long to go to the doc.. I am asthmatic and just kept doing treatments hoping for the best. Anyhow..on lots of meds now and hope to feel better soon.

I made a friends birthday gift tonight. 8 monogram note cards. I was so happy to get them done I wrapped them up and didn't take a picture. LOL

I finally cut all the vinyl to finish the xmas balls and a glass block that are gifts. I'll post the balls today and the block tomorrow as that has a story. I made about 17 balls.. I used 5 different types of glitter material inside. I think I liked the Martha Stewart tinsel glitter and big glitter. The metallic glass beads were yuck.. They clumped together and look terrible.. Win some lose some.. The iridescent fine glitter and just regular craft glitter look nice also but the first two gave a nicer texture appearance. The vinyl letters were cut using the gypsy font.

High School reunion on Friday night.. First time I am going to one since my divorce 12 years ago.. My ex always goes. We finally get along so it won't be a problem. Gotta clean the house tomorrow.. A friend is sleeping here so she doesn't have to drive home late at night after the reunion.

gypsy

2011-10-25T16:52:00.000-07:00

Back in business thanks to cricut.com

Sorry I haven't posted.. I in an ADD phase. I have 5 things started but NOTHING completed to post.

gypsy

2011-10-23T15:13:00.000-07:00

My gypsy just died right in the middle of something ;-(

glitter balls

2011-10-17T18:25:00.000-07:00

I am making ornaments for Christmas gifts.... This is the first stage. I tried 3 different kinds of glitter. the flaky kind looks really neat... I want to cut vinyl and put 2011 on them as well. The red is regular glitter. The copper and silver are the flaky glitter and the others are ultra fine martha stewart glitter.

copic colored bears

2011-10-17T16:40:00.000-07:00

I colored 12 of these last week.. Sunday I made them all up into cards. I used glossy accents on the light bulbs.

Sunday

2011-10-16T17:17:00.000-07:00

I have been coloring copics for the last week.. Mourning my friend and I also lost my 93 year old aunt so it has been a difficult time...coloring is calming..

On this card I used LePlumme II markers, copics, jelly roll gold. jelly roll stardust, signo white. and glossy accents.

I colored 6 of these. Another card to come.

Grrrrrr

2011-10-16T16:16:00.000-07:00

Trying to upload pictures for a new post and blogger is being temperamental.

imagine Enjoy the seasons

2011-10-09T16:16:00.000-07:00

ipad and blogger

2011-10-07T17:11:00.000-07:00

I give up on trying to post from my ipad!!!

I want to say that time heals.. memories are never forgotten.. My very good church, personal and work friend will live in my heart forever... My work community has been fab to my school all week and I plan to make over sized thank-you cards for all the buildings and units that have reached out to my staff with goodies and well wishes all week.. Linda was just a special individual that drew people to her.. It didn't matter if you knew her a week or 20 years... you were touched by her loss. We lost someone special but the lord gained another angel.

Another day..t

2011-10-07T17:08:00.000-07:00

Sad

2011-10-03T18:13:00.000-07:00

One of my best friends, a lady I have known for over 20 years from my church and the person responsible for me taking up scrapbooking and purchasing my first cricut was hit and killed by a drunk driver last night while she and her husband were traveling home from a wedding. Her loving husband was airlifted and is in critical but stable condition. This woman was a light that drew everyone to her.. All my thoughts and prayers go out to her husband, daughter, son in law, and two sons who adored her.

Another Imagine card

2011-10-01T16:10:00.000-07:00

This one I like ...unlike the last two.. I literally printed and added some stickles...

The card is 4 X 4.

Imagine cards

2011-09-30T19:19:00.000-07:00

These are VERY simple snow angel Imagine cards.. They were printed, stickles and popped up.. They lack something extra but I can't see it right now... I am sure I will add to these before I am happy enough to send them out.. Just a little to plain.

Personal commentary. I have been way over scheduled for the month of September!! Running 7 days a week since Labor Day. The one night I was home I cancelled a meeting to go to bed at 4 PM and sleep until 5 AM because I was sick. I am still coughing and on antibiotic. Been way to busy, I don't like it..

This weekend I am joining WW.. Gotta lose this weight I gained after my hysterectomy!!! Then clean the house and yard work but on my time...not rush time.

another xmas card

2011-09-26T17:47:00.000-07:00

I used Winter Frolic cart for this card. I glimmer misted the blue card base with marshmallow. The white strip on the bottom is some white sparkle end pieces I bought in bulk run through the cuddlebug. I added glossy accents to the round circles on the tree to make them look like they were made of glass. I have to say that I do not think my regular expression would have cut this title without tearing. On the Imagine it cut like butter with no tearing.

Sunday update

2011-09-25T05:46:00.000-07:00

I am still battling a terrible upper respiratory infection. I called my doctor back Thursday and he phoned in another medication. I started using my nebulizer.. ughh the only time my asthma is triggered is from and upper respiratory infection. Anyhow I have been running non stop with meetings and that hasn't helped me get better. I have squeezed in a little crafting here and there. I made a few of this card Thursday night at my scrap group and have a nother set of a Christmas cards almost complete from Friday and last night. Hope to finish that set today and post.

I used the winter frolic cart and the snowflake cuddlebug folder. The pieces were pretty tiny to handle as this is an A-2 size card.

cold

2011-09-20T03:45:00.000-07:00

I have a terrible cold right now and can manage work and bed....No posting until I am better. My kiddo's rock! They are taking good care of me fixin dinner and even made my lunch for work today...:-)

Last simple Thank you

2011-09-16T17:12:00.000-07:00

This is the last of the simple thank you cards. I think my supply is replenished since I make most cards in doubles. Same supplies as the previous ones.

More simple thank you cards

2011-09-15T18:50:00.000-07:00

I used the cuddlebug for embossing, Papertrey ink stamps, die cuts, ink, card base and matching ribbon. The paper paper is Martha Stewart.

Thank you card

2011-09-11T19:04:00.001-07:00

I needed to send out a couple of Thank You cards recently and realized I had let my supply empty... I subscribe to the not every card has to be a work of art club... soo...... I made multiples of some quick easy thank you cards...

I used Martha Stewart punch pads that were double sided I got on clearance at Michael's that coordinated with my PTI card base... One strip of the double sided does both layers and leaves enough left to die cut the frame on the cuddle bug. I cut the frame and stamped from PTI Fillable Frames Additions 1.

Halloween Wreath

2011-09-10T17:35:00.000-07:00

Finally finished the Halloween wreath... Took some time with school starting. Ughh I go from lazy days of summer to 110 miles an hour. LOL. BTW you can see the colors I painted the wall behind the wreath when I emptied the room the end of August for its face lift. I wanted bright and I love the beach.. thus the colors.

I went to Wilmington Delaware to attend Suzanne Deans copic class today.. WOW I took the beginner and learned how little I really knew about using them well. She is a sweetheart and I wish I would have signed up for the advanced as well. She makes it look so EASY and effortless.

Harry was lacking

2011-08-31T13:43:00.000-07:00

okay he was too plain so I free hand cut a scarf and wand for him :-)

Simple Harry Potter card

2011-08-31T13:29:00.001-07:00

My great nephew is turning 5 and he is in love with Harry... This card is for my mom to give him. I used everyday paperdolls.. and a peachy keen face stamp.

On another note I bit the bullet and signed up for a copic marker class on September 10th in Wilmington Del... I hesitated because it is the end of the summer and money is tight as with all teachers now. Plus its after the first week of school when I will be exhausted.. With that said when will I get another opportunity for a class with Suzanne Dean. I follow her blog regularly so I just a going!!!

gift bag and matching card

2011-08-30T17:46:00.000-07:00

My great nephew will be turning 5 on September 8th.. These are for him. He is having a Harry Potter party so I am going to attempt a Harry Potter card tomorrow for my mom to give him using Everyday paper dolls.

The bag and card base were light blue and all the other papers were printed on the Imagine using bubblegum strips so that they perfectly coordinated.. That is what I like best about the Imagine. The #5 is from sweet treats. I added some yellow stickles to the flames.

HAHAHA I haven't bought the gift yet so I better make sure it fits the bag!!!!

last halloween card

2011-08-30T16:27:00.000-07:00

mini monster cartridge with action wobbles and wiggle eyes.

mini monster witch

2011-08-29T09:28:00.001-07:00

mounted on action wobble with wiggle eyes. The bat paper is from an old halloween stack.

Mini monster spooky

2011-08-28T17:28:00.001-07:00

I again used the action wobble on the ghost and wiggle eyes... the background paper is from a creative memories Halloween stack... I made like 8 different mini monster cards during Irene's visit so plan on seeing some more action wobbles and wiggle eyes! LOL I did put the cart away and move on to other things so don't worry... I'll only bore you with a few more Halloween cards before moving on to something else.

mini monster halloween card

2011-08-28T07:52:00.001-07:00

The jack-o-lantern is on an action wobble and I used wiggle eyes.

Irene update.. My power held and my sump pump went off every 30 seconds all night long! I am so thankful for this!!! No basement flooding. The major rain is done, still very windy outside.

xmas card

2011-08-27T12:48:00.000-07:00

Taking images I previously colored and made them into cards to file away. 8 more xmas cards ready for December. We are getting the first outer bands of rain from Irene... Going to be an interesting night since the storm to hit in the middle of the night.

Christmas Wreath

2011-08-26T12:07:00.000-07:00

Okay I saw a Thanksgiving wreath made from florettes in the Stampin up mini holiday catalog and I thought I can do that.. I used a Christmas package of recollections paper so all the patterns shades matched exactly. Each florette is 2, 12" strips to create each one scored at 1/2" marks. The bigger florettes are 2" wide strips, medium 1 1/2 inch wide strips and the small 1" wide strips.. I hot glued everything to a foam styrofoam circle. Embellishments are recollections glitter dots, buttons, glass beads and holiday colored sequins from my stash.. I used some red glitter sheer ribbon to tie around the foam base for the hanger. I made all the florettes last night and it took about 45 minutes today to figure out the arrangement and wait for layers of hot glue to dry to complete it.

I have prepared my basement as best I can in the event of a power failure and the sump pump not working.. Nothing I can do about it but just pray that nobody is hurt in this huge hurricane. We are used to more damage here from Nor' Easters than hurricanes.

Big sigh!!

2011-08-26T05:45:00.000-07:00

I realized last night as I was getting in bed that if we lose power my sump pump won't work so today will be spent in the basement making sure everything that could get ruined is up off the floor.. I have to tell you we have had some weather this summer in South Jersey!!!

Earth quake and now hurricane??

2011-08-25T20:13:00.000-07:00

Wow! This weather is strange around here.. Gonna be a wild weekend. I hope I keep electric so I can stay inside and craft! LOL.. I made all the parts for a paper wreath tonight. I hope to assemble tomorrow and get a picture up..

craft room set up

2011-08-24T16:40:00.000-07:00

Well I am back on my IMAC and the craft room is set up but not without difficulties.. I was attempting to slide a 6ft shelf packed with albums and craft supplies and it broke.... lets just say it sent me over the edge. I should have emptied the thing first. The bookshelf is toast and went out in the trash.. (ha maybe the earth quake weakened it yesterday..hahahahaha) My son had an ikea unit in storage in my garage so I took it. Lets just say it helped pay his rent for the last 14 months he has lived here.. LOL... It added hours to sorting to what I could part with so that I could get things back in the room... I have a problem with what to do with photo albums... I have faithfully kept everything in a photo album since high school and college in the 70"s.. I am afraid to put them in the basement because of dampness.. For now they are on the unit but really I should free up space for other things. I am parting with tons of cookbooks I never look at and novels that were on the other shelf.. Lets just saying seeing all my cricut carts taken off the old shelf and put in drawers of the new unit were an eye opener to how many I have... LOL!

I am really, really tired and lifted stuff way over my weight limit (from a surgery not supposed to lift more than 25 pounds) today. I just got out of the hot tub. It really stinks getting older.. I feel every day of my 55 today and I usually don't!

Gonna go enjoy a glass of wine and recalibrate my Imagine machine from having moved it.

Craft room

2011-08-23T17:34:00.000-07:00

Finally doing it,the craft room/ everything room is emptied all over the house and te

2011-08-19T17:25:00.000-07:00

dry spell

2011-08-16T17:56:00.000-07:00

I have had a terrible dry spell with crafting.. Yes it was summer, yes it was my kids moving home but I have to tell you that I come in here and I stare at my supplies with no inspiration which is so not like me. I decided to analyze why today and I came up with a few...Worry that my poor son in unemployed for a year and a half now. Over educated and under experienced. It is so hard to keep him positive since he moved home.. He has an MBA for goodness sakes!!! Next my daughter graduated in a field that looked good entering college and now in my area is a no gooo She has a BSN in nursing and graduated with honors but she makes hoagies for money. Then there is the whole painting I have been planning of my craft room all summer.. Oh my there is so much stuff to move out to start. It is my craft room, my computer room, sewing room, bookshelf room, bill paying room.. You get the picture. I think that the fact that I have the painting hanging on my head is the big craft inhibitor.. so today I looked at the calendar and planned it out. Hehehe,, this I do well. I have something every day that disrupts the process this week. So tomorrow is buy the paint since I am driving past the store to take my mom to the kidney doc. Friday in empty the room and Spackle... Saturday and Sunday walls. (after church on Sunday) Tuesday trim cause my mom has a regular doc appointment on Monday. (She has had 4 in two weeks, God bless her at 90)

Anyway with all this said... I decided to use a sketch tonight to get me back in the crafting frame of mind. I have to say that I feel honored to represent my local school union for the county for the state at the national education association conference. I know today that teachers can be a dirty word but I am proud to be one and part of NJEA/NEA.

I used BoBunny paper from CKC, Plantin School book for the circles, elegant edges for the border, and Independence day for the 4th of July. Misc,. buttons from my stash. I have to say that I bought the uniball signo pen at CKC and I think it works much better on textured paper than the gelly roll.

Long post.. I am not a typist.. know as soon as I post it I will see the typos that I can't now! LOL!

Rain, rain go away!

2011-08-14T20:25:00.000-07:00

I had hoped to get back in the craft room today but it was not to be. My town got 7.7 inches of rain in 24 hrs with 1 to 2 inches still expected tonight.. my french drains could not handle all the water during the heaviest downpours mid-afternoon and we got some water... We have been spoiled with no water for 13 years since the french drains were put it. We don't keep everything up like when we used to get water.. Sooo it was move things and wet vac the wet areas. All in all it could have been worse and it wasn't so bad when I see all the pictures on the news from my area. Its all good. My goal is to get my craft desk half completed projects done tomorrow and begin to empty the room for painting.. my time is running out to get it done this summer.