2 days until Christmas

I Can't believe there are only two days left until Christmas and I am still working on Christmas cards. well, I guess that is the way when you have over 50 people to give cards to then sell some that you made at craft fairs.
I made this one today. This is the final one, I made it as part of the splitcoast sketch challenge, I had to come up with something, why not do a challenge! I used very vanilla as my base, then added real red as a "mat" layer, along with SU's Christmas dp for several years ago. I used the snowflake from snowswirled, stamped it in real red then went over it with versamark and dazzling diamonds and a heat gun to give it shimmer, then I used my punch and punched it out. I added a gold ribbon for extra shimmer, and my tree is done the same way but with always artichoke ink.

I saw something on SU's demonstrator magazine where the images were stacked, I thought that was a neet concept, so I tried it with the delightful decorations set. I used mellon mambo, pretty in pink and old olive as my colors. I had to mask the images so the ink wouldn't bleed between colors, so I used a post it, and stamped the image twice then cut it out and used them as my mask.


This was a splitcoast challenge to use gold. I think it was a limited supply challenge. I used mellon mambo as my base, then old olive, then used gold as my mat, then white, and stamped the "Sanded" background stamp in gold. I then used my delightful decorations set in mambo and olive, and popped them up with pop dots, added an artichoke ribbon wrapped like a present.


This was for the gold or silver challenge mentioned above. I used artichoke as my base, then stamped bella toile bg stamp in silver. My main image is stamped in gold then heat embossed in gold, then colored in using a blender pen in ruby red, and gold gel pen. The image is matted on ruby red, and gold. I added some candycane eyelets I had.

I think this is one of my fave cards of the season. This was part of a featured stamper challenge, where you take the image and change it up at last two ways. I used always artichoke as my base, then I took white, stamped the sanded bg stamp in artichoke, LOVE IT! I added a real red ribbon. The main image is stamped in artichoke and mounted on artichoke. I used deckling scissors for the edges. The snowflakes are a very tiny punch that I have, I punched them in real red then used glue dots to secure them. I added 3 brads to the bottom of the card.

This was a ways to use it challenge from splitcoaststampers.com, we were to make a card using a recipie or something we made to eat for the holidays. My fave thing to bake is choc chip, m&m cookies. I use the tollhouse recipie and add in m&m's for those of you who were wondering. So I made this card using creamy caramel cardstock. I then added a Choc Chip ribbon, and stamped my delightful decorations in mellon mambo, kiwi kiss and pacific point to represent the m&m's I also used my cuttlebug and used my dots folder to emboss the front panel of the card. I added a cool ribbon that had choc dots of all things as hangers for the ornaments.

Well, it seems like that is all she wrote as far as my recent cards. I think it is a little easier to do it the way I did today. I think I will try it in the future.

If I could figure out how, would you ladies be interested in doing color challenges, or sketch challenges? Let me know

Where does the time go?

Omg, I can't believe it 10 days until Christmas! I am so done by now, and this year, considering I am home, I still have lots to do. I can't believe how disorganized I have been with things this year. Totally unlike me!

Well, this is the first year as a single mom. I worked for a while, but set the recovery of my arms back by doing so. Also when I worked, the differentials with workers comp were coming late, therefore, all my bills got backed up, and dug myself into a hole. Now I am trying to dig myself out. I guess that is where all this unorganized chaos is coming from called my life! HA!

I am waiting for the workers comp people to approve my physical therapy. Ever since the prp injections in my arm, my right lateral (outside) arm has not been right. I have been in pain everyday, some days worse than others. It is terrible to just move your arm and to hurt. I know people think I complain alot, in essence I don't because I am in pain every day. I just complain on the days when I can't stand the pain.

I am worried. I am driving down to NC to see my parents in a few weeks. I still can't use my right arm to drive for more than 5 minutes at a time. Lately, if I go to stretch it, it locks up too, so I am nervous. It will be just me and my son, and he can't drive he's not even 10 yet! I do have a plan though. I am going to make sure I bring lots of ice, and if it hurts too much, I will pull over and put my little elbow patch with the ice on, and I have my ointments, ladocaine patches and of course narcotics. I wont' use those until I am at my parents, and only if needed.

Anyway, this has caused me to be way behind in my stamping. I usually have my Christmas cards out the weekend of Thanksgiving. I have been putting it off. I don't know if it is because of my arm, or I just don't care this year. Who knows. I have about 10 more to still make, but these are my most recent ones.

Thank goodness for the Splitcoaststampers challenges. If it weren't for them and seeing all the ladies marvelous works, I don't think I would have been inspired to make what I have made. I even cut down my Christmas list this year. I'm only mailing to 50 people this year. Years past, it was as high as 100 people.

Thanks for looking, have a great day.

Sad days still admist my life

Well, I haven't stamped in a while, was busy with craft fairs, getting organized etc. Then on Thanksgiving evening, my b/f and I broke up. I know, it is unusual for the person who did the breaking to feel sad, but I do. I really loved him, I still do. There are just somethings that were broken in the relationship that no matter how hard we tried, we just couldn't fix it. It is terrible. I miss him! I cried myself to sleep the first night, and have just been a sad person these past few days. I am very thankful for my gal pals, they have been doing their best to get me up and out and living life again. They really helped me. I even went shopping! great therapy btw!

I wanted to get myself out of the dolldroms, so I decided to check out featured stamper of the day at splitcoast, it is Mrs. Boz, I saw this card of hers, so pretty, the colors just captured me. Who doesn't like chocolate with blue! OMG what a color combo!!! LOVE IT!!!

I would love to link her card but this doesn't want to let me. So here is my card made with choc chip paper as my base, followed by bashful blue, I stamped Print Patterns in bashful blue, then went with Sanded in creamy caramel. I added a caramel piece and choc ribbon. My main image is choc chip, and creamy caramel with a bashful blue ribbon.

tfl

Out of work, so time to craft!

Well, I've been out of work for a few weeks now, so I have been catching up on my craft time. I really missed it when I was working, it really is quite therapuetic and relaxing.

Not much has been happening lately, still seeing my guy, 6 months as of yesterday, and trying to find a job. Things are a little more stable now, the workers comp checks finally got caught up, so am getting my bills back in order, which is a very good thing!

My right arm has been bothering me a lot lately. The lateral side (outside) of my right arm has been hurting ever since I had the prp injections done. (PRP Injection=draw blood, spin it into plasma, and inject it into the body part that has issues) I'm not sure if the doctor hit on something that was dormant or what, but it has been bothering me ever since the injections back in late September. I guess all I can do is suck it up and try to stay off the computer and let it heal.

I did a craft fair this past Saturday, I not only made the cost of the table, but I made almost $100 profit from my cards. I really love making them, but selling them and seeing other people happy because of my creations is just awesome.

Here are my latest works.

Now that I'm out of work, I had the opportunity to start making cards again. I went to the Stampin B's page and took their #31 Challenge. Here is my card for that challenge.

I used night of navy as my base, then bravo burgandy as my mat, then I used Stampin Up dsp, and nesties for my shape. I used bravo burgandy ribbon, I stamped in burgandy, and colored using the pastels from SU marker set. I used my glue stick then went over it with dazzling diamonds for sparkle. The stars I went over with a glitter gel pen to give them sparkle.

tfl and have a great day!

Hi there, haven't been on blog in quite some time. Not much going on here, still loosing weight, down 30 pounds now, but I haven't been so strict with my diet like I was in the past, so it is time to get back down to business. I want to drop another 20 before Christmas. The only way I will do it, is if I crack the whip and start dieting correctly!

Here are some cards that I've made recently.

the new me!

here I am, down 24 pounds, I can totally see the difference in my body, my clothes are falling off me. I love it! I'm down 2 dress sizes, or shall I say, jean sizes. I need to buy new scrubs because I look like I'm wearing clown pants. Gotta love loosing weight.

Check out my new pics!

I can't believe it!

I can't believe it, I went to the store yesterday and tried on jeans that were 2 sizes smaller than what I had previously worn. Get this, they fit! I am so excited! I finally am getting into the weight that I gained from being sick with thyroid disease. Wow, 10 years I have just come close but was never able to get there, now I'm 8 pounds into it, I am just so happy!

My boyfriend took me to Maine last weekend, what a romantic place! Wow! Just incredible, the views were just stunning. How lucky am I?!

I'm going to a wedding today, I made 2 cards for it, not sure which one I want to give to them, will ask the b/f to have him pick because I am clueless and they are both nice. This is one of them, the other is in my gallery under my featured stamper challenges. "JoJot" was the fs that day.

Here is a pic from Maine, you can see my new body. I can't believe how good I look, it is just amazing. My new b/f has made me a happy woman too. It's been a long time since I felt wanted and admired, and an equal, I feel all those things now. What a wonderful feeling.

A new day, a new me!

I have been so busy lately. I have a new boyfriend, almost 3 months now, a new job, and a new weight! I'm down 13 pounds!!! My new job happens to be at a weightloss clinic, and because I work there, I get to do the program for free!! I've been on it for almost 2 weeks, and 13 pounds lighter. I am so happy!

Unfortunately, I haven't really had time to craft lately. I totally miss it. I am going to try and keep up with my card making once a week, it is so therapeutic. Having a new boyfriend, I find that I'm spending my available time with him. It is so funny, when I was married, I didn't spend any time with my ex, this was my therapy to stay away from him. Now I'm in a good relationship, I don't get enough time to make my cards because I am just too happy, I want to spend all my free time with him!

Well, here are some cards I made, and a few pics of the new me!

Yesterdays Graduation

I graduated from Medical Assistant Training. We had the official ceremony yesterday. In the pics are me, my son, my two best friends, Dawn and Michelle, and my new boyfriend Jeff. tfl