Thursday, June 26, 2008

Hurray for Summer!

I've been able to stamp everyday this week. I love it!! I have been stamping during naptime and when Nate goes to bed at night. It's been great to just sit down and stamp in peace..
My 'peace' is typically while watching a horror movie on the Chiller channel. LOL. Either that, or watching my DVD of Copycat. You see, in my former life, I wanted to be a forensic psychologist. I am fascinated by the human mind. Well, being a special education teacher is similar I suppose... I still get to try and find out what the mind is doing and why :) Tonight I watched a movie about Ed Gein- he is real life inspiration behind Silence of the Lambs and Psycho. Very interesting movie.


Well on to the stamping!

First was for a challenge on PW using buttons. I sewed on buttons for the very first time!
I used the retired Hostess Set, In Bloom (one of my faves), cardstock from Amberley Grace, and the sentiment from Seeds of Friendship.

This next card was for a Color Combo Challenge on PW. It was to use dark purple, pink and white. Stamps are from Seeds of Friendship, Mini Occassions, and In Bloom.

Finally is a card made for the PW inspiration challenge. It was a picture of a little kiddie cottage. It screamed Mimi Collection to me! Stamps are from Fancy Curls, Bookoo Blessings, and the LE Big on Fun Roses Set. Once again I can't get this picture to show correctly. If anyone can help, just let me know!

Finally, is the project I made for Sam for Father's Day. I saw this in the Nov 07 Scrapbooks Etc magazine and had to make it! I was quite easy. It features papers from SEI, MME, and SU.

Below is a closer pic. I plan on making 2 more- one for the FIL, one for my Dad. I am proud of how it turned out! I used rubber cement to adhere the paper/pics, rather than modge podge.

I made all three cards today but the Star was a couple weeks ago, I just kept forgeting to post! I also submitted my first 2 contest entries to TAC. Winners get $75 gc for free stamps. I am super proud of my submissions and hope I win one. Wish me luck!

Until next time, happy stampin sistahs!

Saturday, June 21, 2008

New Angel Company Catalog!

After much anticipation, I received my new Fall/Winter TAC catty today! WOOHOO! There are some gorgeous new papers and some fun new stamps. There are many "trendy" stamp sets- some styles similar to papertrey ink and other companies. There are a few colorable images but not many, which is sad for those of us that like to color! I love one of the new Christmas sets, Christmas Joy. Many of the stamps from the spring supplement also made it in there which is good for those who didn't have a chance to order everything they wanted! If you want a catty, let me know and I can get it to you or ship it to you for the cost of shipping (to preexisting customers). Now the countdown begins for the fall supplement, lol :)


Over at the angels-only site, Paper Wings, we've been having our version of online seminar. I've created some cards for some contests. It's been fun!




This card was created for a limited supply type challenge. I am very happy with how it came out! Bird is from All Things Nature stamp set and the sentiment is a GWP from the spring catalog. Paper is from Sands of Time and Amberley Grace.


This project is a mini photo holder. I used a template provided for a mini purse and changed it around. I stamped Nate's initials on the outside. Sentiment is a spring GWP. Swirls are from butterbees and more. Paper is one of my all time favorite lines, Amberley Grace.
This is a picture of the inside. I made a little pocket on the left that holds 3 tags with sentiments on them. Heart stamp is a former GWP. It also holds 3 pics of Nate from the Fall (the main one is a close up of him on Halloween :). Inside flap is stamped "what makes us happy, makes us rich" spring catty GWP.

This card is one of 6 I made for "gallery bingo". We were given various sets per round to make a card and upload to our gallery. When we had accumulated 6 cards, we won bingo. It took me all day to do it too! This uses the lvl B hostess set, now retired, In Bloom. I love this set and am sad they retired it! Sentiment is from tag tidbits. Paper is Miss Moxie.

This card uses Spring Dream and the sentiment is from Just Because. Both made it into the current catalog. Inks are Palette Toile Pink and Starry Night. Flower is embossed with ranger "puffs" powder.

Finally is this preggers card which I plan on giving to my neighbor who just found out she is expecting her 3rd! It uses How Swell and paper from Uptown Girl.

I hope to create more and share more with you guys tomorrow or Monday. Have a fabulous rest of the weekend!!

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

What's in a name?

I don't have any "Creative" stuff to share today. I was rather tired and yesterday was a long day, so I napped when Nate napped and used my other ounce of free time to exercise since I am way slacking.
However, I was thinking of posting and updating on Nate, etc. when this quote popped in my head:
What’s in a name? That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet- Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

This started when I was thinking about them giving Nate a diagnosis. Well, I'm a SPED teacher- I use a diagnosis as a guidepost, not a label per say. I also am one of those people that feel comforted by having a "name" for something. I don't do well floating in limbo. Nate can still be considered Speech/Language Impaired or developmental delay. However, he also meets the criteria for Pervasive Developmental Disorder- Not Otherwise Specified. PDD-NOS, as it is called, is on the Autism Spectrum. It's basically what a kid is when they have some Autistic tendencies but not enough to be labeled as having Autism.

I have known it for awhile. Especially after the ear tubes and he went "zombie" on us for awhile. He has responded so well to the gluten/casein/soy/corn free diet and low phenols (thing no colored fruits, veggies, etc). He is responding to mb12 shots and all the other supplements. I want to smack any doctor that hasn't recommended kids with similar characteristics try these types of things. If we had stayed at our regular pediatrician, he wouldn't have even gotten him a speech eval until he was 2. That's 1 month from now~ Because I know what I know and have friends that a speech therapists, he began services at 18 months.

Anyway, the point is, that no matter the name, it is what it is and Nate is Nate. He's a happy very intelligent child, that is stubborn and can look "different' at times. In the end though, I know he'll be fine. No matter how much a pain in the butt all this is, the results have already been worth it. Our next endeavor is to rid his body of excess yeast. His yeast indicator should've been lower than 16 mmol but instead is was 398!! That's a HUGE deal!!

I've also had some health setbacks. I'm thinking sheer exhaustion, stress. We thought it was the beginning of a Lupus flare but not so sure. I go to the rheumatologist tomorrow either way. I am also being strict about the diet as it is beneficial for me. I will try some of the other supplements as well. There is so many similarities between autoimmune diseases and the problems that kids with 'Autistic" like behaviors...

Anyway, I hope to be able to share some cards, etc. Tomorrow! Hope everyone is having a fab week!

Monday, June 16, 2008

Busy bee!



Life has been extremely busy. Unfortunately, I've had some health issues and dealing with all of Nate's stuff has been hard. Good thing is school is out for the summer so I have had creative time. Several projects are hush hush for the paper wings online seminar! I am going to share to small things with you though :)




First- For a SCS swap with an ocean theme: I can NOT get it to post the right way, argh! I will work on it. Anyway, used TAC something's fishy and Just Because. Inside says "we're friends!". Fish were stamped on twinkling H20 covered paper and colored with stickles and sparkly gel pens. Paper is from SEI. It's simple but cute!





Next is a quickie card. I used TAC Little Friends and In Bloom (lvl B hostess set). I watercolored both the flowers and the chickie. I stamped sentiment from Little Friends on this great american crafts felt tag I found at big lots for 2 bucks!! I love these tags and they're easy to stamp on! Paper is from DCWV Nana's Kids. Ric Rac is also AC.



I hope to have lots more this week! and I'll try to get that pic fixed! Happy Monday!

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Hello, Goodbye

I almost forgot that this week is the last week I will be working with my dear friend, Foxy. Foxy is a phenomonal teacher and has turned around 3 hard groups of kids. She is an amazing reading teacher and has taught ME everything I know. We started our jobs at our elem. school the same year. She was right across the hall from me for the last 3 yrs. We've gone through some tough years and also had fun. She'll be going to a new school as a 3rd grade teacher where I hope she is appreciated as much as I know I appreciate her. Love ya Foxy!





Well, here is a goodbye, hello gift for her: things she can hopefully display in her new classroom and remember her old buddy from across the hall :)



I broke out the ole cuttlebug to emboss the background. I used Wasau CS- new find at Target. Not too bad actually. Patterned paper is from K and Company Wild Saffron. Stamps from the old Gnome set from SU. Drawing a blank on the name.

I used some SU wood blocks I didn't use to mount stamps to make these name blocks for her. Paper is from CTMH Silouhette collection. American Crafts rub ons. The other side has coordinating paper and the edges are lined with rickrack since they're thin blocks.

Finally, is another collage using the silouhette paper and stamps from Happy Harmony (SU, 07 saleabration). I embossed the dandelions in gold on the transparency. I am also entering this in a martha stewart contest since the shadow box is by MSC.

I also made some items for Paper Wings but they're hush hush until the reveal! I know MFT, H and M stamps, Treehouse Stamps and Pink Cat Studio all have reveals soon- can't wait to see what they have in store!

Since this is the last week of school, I probably won't post until next weekend. Until then, hope everyone has a fantabulous week!!

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Mother's Day Collages

Well, third post in a row. WOW! I am pushing it! But, I am behind in sharing my creations. I just want to get them out there.




Our Michael's has Martha Stewart Shadow Boxes on clearance for $3.00. They're heavy duty chipboard that is fabric covered. I loaded up on these babies. Well, I came up with an idea on a whim and am happy with how they turned out.









I made a collage for my mom and my MIL for mother's day. I used an old retired SU set I bought off ebay last year along with a stampabilities french script background my SIL gave me. I masked the image to get the background around it in Palette Noir. I used a heat tool to try it. I cut various sizes of coordinating paper and attached them using 3D glue dots. I adhered the transparency to the paper using crystal glaze- it dries clear! I embellished using primas, paper flowers, and tags.








This is my MIL's using CTMH Silouhette Paper.




This is my Mom's, using TAC Amberley Grace Paper. Sorry for the glare, I am not a professional photographer :)



Here is the matching card for Mom.


I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!

New Rubbah- Treehouse Stamps

Well, here is another installment showing off some new rubbah I've acquired over the last month or so. I found Treehouse Stamps from Markie's Mom's blog. She had done some beautiful things with this tree frog stamp. I had to have it. Plus, my friend Jen's birthday was coming up and she is a FROG-fanatic so it was perfect for her! I purchased 2 sets, plus one for her, 2 singles and got 1 mini set free! Fabulous deal and shipping was quick!








This card features my favorite tree frog from So Hoppy by Treehouse Stamps. He is colored using prisma markers, prisma h20's and gamsol. The Peace and Ying Yang come from the Make a Difference set by Treehouse. Paper is from SEI.



Another take on the same design.




This uses stamps from the Make a Difference set. All paper is from SEI as well.


Finally is a birthday card using Treehouse's cupcake single stamps. This is one of the YUMMIEST cupcake stamps ever! I stamped the cupcake on white, then on an old SU designer paper. I paper pieced the cupcake wrapper. I think filled in the icing with liquid applique. While wet, I put on the "sprinkles" (beads) and then heated it to puff it. Finally, I used a glue pen and my pink fun flock to give some oompf to the cherry on top. Sentiment is from TAC.


I hope you all enjoy these stamps as much as I do! I can't wait to see what they come up with next!

Long Needed Update, New Stamps Part I!!


Hi all!
Well, I finished my 6 week class in 3 weeks. WHEW! What a task. But, I officially completed all licensure requirements and am 9 credits away from my Master's in Special Education. WOOHOO! I am super excited.

Nate is doing much better- we have gotten back to some sort of "normalcy". He is waking at night but, for limited times compared to his sleeping only 4 hrs during the day we had pre-May. I thank God everynight- please continue prayers to help Nate continue to progress!!

TAC has some specials I will email out. But, I have been playing with some GORGEOUS new rubbah! The first are from Clear Dollar Stamps:


This card uses the Spread your Wings set from Clear Dollar Stamps. I've ordered several sets from Lori at Clear Dollar Stamps and love the quality and the designs! Paper is TAC Amberley Grace. Ink- Palette Cognac and Burnt Umber






This is another quick card featuring CDStamps Spread your Wings. I watercolored the beautiful birdy and used my new Amy Butler paper. I think it is simple but elegant.



Finally, is card from the Bountiful Blessings Stamp Set. I adore this stamp set. It is very versatile. I used a very vibrant color combo- Palette Orangerie and Versamark Ocean ink. Paper is from SEI.



I made this card also using the bountiful blessings set. It coordinates with the gift I made my MIL for Mother's Day. Paper is from CTMH Silouhette collection. Ink is Palette Noir and Haystack. I used my martha stewart hydrangea punch for the flowers. Sentiment is again from SU's One of a Kind set.


Tomorrow I will update with more cards from another stamp company, Treehouse Stamps.

Happy almost Friday all!

Things I Love..

  • My Family
  • My Beautiful Boys!
  • My Dogs (all 5 of em!)
  • Stamping
  • Scrapbooking
  • Chocolate
  • Shoes and Purses!