Subtly Stamped

...and I would walk 500 miles...

2011-01-03T21:42:00.001-06:00

Man oh man! Had so much extra energy this evening after dishes laundry and housework that I went another mile on the treadmill. Loving this ambition.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Getting ready for the Boutique!

2010-09-02T11:57:00.001-05:00

I have been invited to attend the Friends At Heart Boutique the beginning of October, so I have been crafting like a mad woman! I’m so excited! I can’t wait to see everything everyone else has been making too! I thought I’d share a few of the cards that I’ve been working on….

I’ve been making cards for almost every occasion, as well as a few gift card holders and packs of Christmas cards. I’m also working on a LITTLE bit of jewelry, mini albums, and I’m contemplating making gifts in a jar…. some shopping will be required for those though!

I’m so excited to share my items and see what others have created!

A peek into my creative space….

2010-08-14T14:15:00.001-05:00

I thought I would upload some pics of my craft space…. lol it is by no means perfectly organized right now or even clean, but I thought I’d share :)

…speaking of craft room…. I should probably head back up there and get to work! I have a lot of stuff to prepare for the Friends At Heart Boutique!

Before & After Photoshop

2010-08-14T13:50:00.001-05:00

I have been madly addicted to editing photos on Adobe Photoshop CS4. I LOVE it. I don’t think of it as fixing photos, rather, enhancing what’s there and making it pop. I think one of my favorite things with photoshop is tinkering with all of the actions that I have—I get most of mine from Rita of Coffeeshop Blog. She is so awesome. She even has instructions on how to use them. I think I visit her blog every day.

A lot of the photos I have been editing lately I go to the extreme to see what I can do with them, but I also really enjoy just doing small enhancements to the photos just to make them stand out more. For example, I just tinkered with the below picture of Will a little bit…. the first photo is SOOC (straight out of camera) and the other has been edited.

I went a little crazy on his eyes I think lol… but he has such bright eyes to begin with!

Thank you A-Molly for introducing me to Photoshop. I love you!

Digital Scrapbooking

2010-08-10T22:17:00.001-05:00

I have a new vice…. digital scrapbooking…. I’ve been tinkering with it for a couple of months now, and I love it! I haven’t gotten much time to “work” on it, but now I can scrap wherever I go! I used to lug a big roller caddy full of scrapbooking stuff with me when I’d go home to visit, and now I can scrap from the comfort of my computer (with thanks to A-Molly for providing me with Photoshop CS4! Love you!)

I wish I was more organized and could rightfully credit those whom I downloaded my digi scrap freebies from, but alas, I’m not that organized. My apologies, ladies, for not crediting your art!

This is my Grandma Bon, taken Sept 2009

Next is my first digi layout- Josh and I on our wedding day-

And finally, my favorite layout—My little man! I got this awesome layout here by Ali Edwards *huge fan of hers!!

Technorati Tags: digital scrapbooking

Updates!

2010-08-10T21:49:00.001-05:00

It’s been SO long since I’ve blogged! It’s hard to even remember the last post… the Silvernale household has been quite busy! I have been working a lot of overtime, so that takes a nice chunk out of my day…. but I still find time (almost) each day to play in my craft room….. that is, in between being a mommy and a house wife.

Will has been doing great! He is now almost 9 1/2 months old… time flies so fast! He had his 9 mo checkup last week… he’s 21 pounds 13 ounces and 28.5 inches long already!! I can’t believe he’ll be 1 year old soon! I’ve already been thinking about birthday invites! I’m thinking of using my Sizzix die Pumpkins #2 and doing a Halloween theme…. after all, he was born on Halloween! My little man is such a sweetheart! He will be walking soon I’m sure… so far he kneels on things and is starting to pull himself up. He is such a busy guy… I will definately have my hands full. Grandpa Willy said he’ll skip walking and go right to running…. I DO NOT doubt that for a second! He’s a speedy one!

I’m lucky that I have the opportunity to work from home, and I’m even luckier that Josh is home to watch Will all day while I work… it’s going to be hard putting him in daycare in the fall, but I’m sure it will help Will develop social skills and what not… like learning how to SHARE! We definitely need to work on that one.

Hope all is well in your neck of the woods!

Another Good Day ;)

2009-12-09T23:14:00.001-06:00

Today was yet another great day. I made buns, finished the scrapbook for my aunt, and snuggled with the little guy.

For Christmas, I got Josh a netbook… he’s wanted one for a while, and I found a great deal on one a couple weeks ago at Target. Tonight we tested out the webcam for the first time :) ! I was able to see and hear him as we chatted, and vice versa. It’s a nice way for Daddy to get to see Will during the week! Granted, the picture is kind of choppy, as well as the audio, but other than that it’s just like having him home!

It’s been another long day, so I’m going to make this post short, leave you with a pic of the little guy, and bury my nose in my Creating Keepsakes magazine until I drift off to sleep :) ahhh yes…. another good day.

Trying Something New

2009-12-07T22:09:00.001-06:00

It’s been a LONG time since I’ve blogged. I’m not going to promise that I’m going to keep up with it, but I will certainly try.

I’m hoping it may be easier to keep up with now that I’ve discovered Windows Live Writer—quite cool!!

So what’s new? Lots. Since my last post, I’m now married and a mommy. It’s been quite a year!

I’m quite tired now (been a long day of driving, mommying, and staring at a computer screen….) so I’m going to get some sleep! I’ll try and update better tomorrow (assuming I find some time to)!!

I need a break!

2009-07-15T11:37:00.002-05:00

Okay, so I have been super busy... and it doesn't stop.

First of all...... any of my friends and family that have already had their birthdays and/or anniversaries this year-- sorry I didn't make/send a card.... I'm THAT behind. If you have gotten a card, consider yourself very special :)

I don't have to worry about wedding stuff anymore, so that's a plus-- but I do need to get the thank you's out... they're all written/addressed/stuffed.... just need to be sealed and get stamps on them... but we don't have $$ for that many stamps right now.....

baby stuff.... is driving me crazy. There's so much to do, and I feel like there is little time to do it.... roughly 3 months left before he's here!

...and we decided to move home, so we're spending a lot of time fixing up the house.... a realtor is coming over tomorrow to take a peek and discuss realty stuff with me..... so I've been scrambling trying to get house stuff done.... and I discovered I suck at carpentry...... yesterday I (almost) finished the wainscoting, patched the ceiling, planted window boxes, and spent a lot of time cleaning up after the ceiling-patch incident.... that 'popcorn ceiling in a pressurized can' stuff is pretty gosh darn messy. I don't recommend it.

I've also been super busy with work.... working mandatory overtime... and dealing with work issues that I probably shouldn't openly discuss on my public blog.... but let's put it this way.... it's a conspiracy. I swear... it has to be... there's no other answer!

I've also started another new hobby.... well, not really new, just advancing more with it.... I received Adobe Photoshop CS4 from a very dear friend of mine, and I'm learning how to master it.... and quite frankly, there's a lot to learn and I'm eager to get my hands on ALL of it!!!

Okay, so now with all of that said..... I'm going to be taking a blogging break.
Not sure when I'll post again, but hopefully I'll be able to start blogging on a regular basis again. I'll make that a new challenge for me.... to go along with the 52 Card Pickup challenge that I only did like 2 weeks of.... I'm such a procrastinator.

Also cancelling my myspace account.... but you can still find me on facebook! ...only my name has since changed to Molly Silvernale :) So anywho, It's about time I get back to work! Break time's over!!!

Things I Love....(in no particular order)

2009-06-10T08:27:00.002-05:00

heading up north every chance I get to be with my family.
curling up in the recliner with my dog.
Starbucks caramel macchiatos.
Friday afternoons.
getting a phone call from Josh every night before bed.
feeling our baby move inside me.
hanging out with Rachel on a whim.
hanging out with Molly on a whim.
going to the track to watch the guys ride.
nacho cheese.
waking up in the middle of the night and realizing I have several hours left to sleep.
nacho cheese.
feeling accomplished and appreciated at work.
being rewarded for a job well done.
my family, and my soon-to-be inlaws.
the colors blue, green, brown, and pink.
seeing cardinals in my bird feeder.
learning new stamping techniques.
scrapbooking.
card making.
finding something on sale, only to find it even cheaper at the register.
Stampin' Up!.
my car.
my car with a full tank of gas.
being free.
sleeping in.
when Josh cooks for me.
when Josh takes me out on a date. I miss those.
nacho cheese.
how inspiring Ali Edwards is (aliedwards.typepad.com).
when Grandma calls.
chatting online with Auntie Cherie when I should be working.
my family.
being loved.
waking up on the "right" side of the bed (which is actually the left side lol).
seeing Josh pull in the driveway after a long week of work.
knowing that even though I'm barely getting by, I'm getting by and that's good enough.
my friends and family.
nacho cheese (seeing a trend here?).
taking pictures.
combining grocery shopping and people watching. Try it- it's fun.
laughing for no reason at all.
talking to my dog like she really understands me, and in lots of ways, she does.
my family.
friends that care about me enough to read this far down on a silly blog post.

Finished with the bouquet!

2009-05-26T19:31:00.002-05:00

...and here it is! -- AND it only cost me $5 to make! What a steal!

Long time no post!

2009-05-26T12:42:00.002-05:00

Wow it has been a LLLOOOONNNNGGGGG time since I've posted.... let me sum stuff up-- seeing how I haven't posted since March, there's a lot to catch up on!

Let's see--where do I start?
Josh and I are gonna be parents-- I'm currently 17 weeks. I can already feel movement... crazy. I'm going to be a mom!
We're getting married in only 3.5 weeks! The rings are taken care of, as well as the marraige license, all the planning is coming to a close... I"m working on making my bouquet this week... I'll have to post a pic when I finish!
I had my final dress fitting last week, and the dress fits GREAT! Even with a baby bump!!
I have had LOTS of cravings for nacho cheese and ICEEs.... and strawberry Mentos.
I haven't been spending a lot of time in my craft room, and I'm a little bummed about that, but I have a lot of more important things right now to be worrying about (I know, what's more important than crafting, right?!)

Wowza. I'm so glad the wedding stuff is almost done.... I haven't been so excited about the baby because I"ve been too focused on the wedding- so I'm excited to be more excited about the baby!

Well, break time is over so I need to get back to work! I will definately try to post more often! I'm such a slacker!

Color Inspiration Challenge #45!

2009-03-11T12:52:00.004-05:00

For this week's challenge, I made a Get Well card for a friend of mine from work. I think it turned out really cute... the ribbon was a bit difficult to tie in a not! It's a grosgrain ribbon from Michael's, and it's very thick... so it makes it pretty hard to tie nicely! I had to sneak in a little color on the flower the mouse is holding... kinda defeats the idea of a monochromatic card, eh? Ssshh! maybe no one will know! The pics were kind of difficult to take in decent light too... I put Crystal Effects on the mouse and flower, so it's quite shiny in the pics, but it just looks cute and realistic in person :) Thanks for looking!!

Color Inspiration #44

2009-03-04T14:30:00.002-06:00

I haven't done a Color Inspiration in quite a while..... okay, well, I haven't posted a Color Inspiration Challenge in quite a while.... I tried last week's challenge and hated what I came up with... so this week I'm posting regardless. I made a 'thinking of you card' with my own homemade DSP :) You care barely see the pink pirouette in it, but it's there. AND, with Murphy's Law at hand, I smudged the Whisper White craft ink.... I ALWAYS smudge it. I need to work on that :) I used one of my new SAB sets that I've been just dying to use! OOOOh man do I love this color combo. I've used it several several several times before! Anywho, I must get back to work! Thanks for looking!

We're Expecting!

2009-03-03T07:24:00.002-06:00

Josh and I found out last week that we're going to be parents! Our families are so excited! I don't think it's really "hit" me yet though.... I'm battling a horrible head cold and in the midst of planning the wedding and a lot of work stress.... so I don't think I'm as excited as I should be! Josh is already sure it's a boy... his parents are referring to each other as Grandma and Grandpa... which is cute... this is their first grandchild :) I'm due on my mom's birthday, which also happens to be halloween!

Mollyology

2009-02-19T07:43:00.002-06:00

haha stole this from Rachel...
Let others know a little more about yourself, re-post this as your name followed by "ology" on your blog

**************FOODOLOGY***************
What is your salad dressing of choice? Ranch or Tuscan Itallian
What is your favorite sit-down restaurant? TGI's or Buffalo Wild Wings?
What food could you eat for 2 weeks straight and not get sick of it? nachos
What are your pizza toppings of choice? sausage and canadian bacon
What do you like to put on your toast? ketchup... weird, I know.

***********TECHNOLOGY***************
How many television are in your house ? Right now, 1 cuz Josh took the other one to work.
What color cell phone do you have? pink

***************BIOLOGY******************
Are you right-handed or left-handed? Lefty!
Have you ever had anything removed from your body? No... but I do have titanium added in my right leg!
Have you ever been knocked unconscious? Yup. Motocross and trees don't mix.

************BULLCRAP-OLOGY**************
If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die? No. That's God's plan.
If you could change your name, what would you change it to? Bill Gates... as long as the wealth came with it.
Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000? Goodness NO!

************DUMB-OLOGY******************>
How many pairs of flip flops do you own? 2 pairs of "happy sandals" .. those rubbery reebok ones
Last time you had a run-in with the cops? Umm.... Halloween... some drunks hit Al's truck and I was a witness so I had to give a statement.
Last person you talked to on the phone? Josh or Jerry
Last person you hugged? my boss.

**************FAVORIT-OLOGY****************
Season? Summer
Holiday ? Independence Day
Day of the week? Saturday
Month? July
Mood? happy
What are you listening to? American Idol on tv <--dammit i missed the last half... super bummed about that... stupid DVR quit recording! ...I'm listening to the hum of the furnace
Worrying about? meeting production today (which I wouldn't have to worry about if I wasn't wasting time right now)

***************RANDOM-OLOGY*****************
First place you went this morning? the bathroom... then the kitchen for some coffee... then right here in the office.
What's the last movie you saw? Failure to Launch
Do you smile often? A lot

********RANDOM QUESTION-OLOGY**********
Do you always answer your phone? most of the time... if i have service... or not in a meeting
It's four in the morning and you get a text message,who is it ? My sister.
If you could change your eye color what would it be? No change
Do you own a digital camera? Yup. Love it.
Have you ever had a pet fish?I have 4 right now that I can't get rid of. They're indestructable.
Favorite Christmas song? Merry Christmas From The Family- Montgomery Gentry
What's on your wish list for your birthday? that Josh remembers. Doesn't have to get me anything... just that he remembers.
Can you do push ups? Yeah.... but only if I'm forced to.
Can you do a chin up? not for the life of me....
Does the future make you more nervous or excited? excited
Do you have any saved texts? my phone doesn't have a lot of memory. so no.
Ever been in a car wreck? not exactly. i drove in a hole and the damage was enough to file a claim, but it wasn't wrecked.
Do you have an accent? Good Lord! The folks in Albany thought I did!
What is the last song to make you cry? Somebody's Hero.. Jamie O'Neal... I was going to sing it for my mom, but I can't without tearing up.
Plans tonight? make Josh dinner, then head up to the craft room
Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom? no
Name 3 things you bought yesterday: Didn't leave the house yesterday.
Have you ever been given roses? Yes
Current hate right now? Restricts. It's a work thing.
Met someone who changed your life? absolutely
How did you bring in the New Year? I was in New York... sleeping in my hotel room.
What song represents you? Gunpowder and Lead... haha just kidding. idk.
What were you doing 12:01 AM last night? sleeping
What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? I don't want to get up....

Productive Weekend!

2009-02-09T08:09:00.003-06:00

Going to try to make this post short..... I have a LOT of work to do today!
I took Friday off work and went to Eau Claire to hit up the sales at Michael's for their grand opening... and scored some awesome stuff! I got home and re-arranged my craft room/re-vamped it.... and I think it's going to stay this way for quite some time... this is the most functional it has ever been.... except that the file cabinet with all of my SU cardstock is at the other end.... so yesterday I stopped at Office Max and got a file caddy, so now it's on wheels! Woo hoo! I just pull it out while I'm working, and push it back when I'm done! Voila! I LOVE LOVE LOVE my room! I'll take some more detailed pics soon, but this is all I have for now!
The card is a congrats card I made for my friend Rachel's daughter.... she placed 2nd in a regional math competition and she's going to State! ... Katie, Rachel's daughter, is only a Freshman... and this competition was for grades 9-12... I'm tellin ya.. this kid is going to change the world!
And lastly.. the boxes.... Josh and I were sitting at the bar the other night, and I got tired of listening to the same old jokes he was telling everyone, so I jotted down a 'recipe' for a party favor box and had to try it a few times to get it how I wanted it... and I'm still not sure how I like it but oh well...
So ah yeah... this "short" post... um.... I need to get back to work.

Color Inspiration #40!

2009-02-05T13:55:00.004-06:00

I have been anxiously waiting for the latest color challenge! I (sadly) had to miss the last few because my company sent me to New York for three weeks.... oh what fun... anyway, here's the card! This week's colors were Old Olive, Whisper White, Taken With Teal, More Mustard, and So Saffron... but I guess you can understand that by takin' a peek at the CI banner... I don't know if I happy with the card or not... it seems like it's missing something..... I shoulda put some Primas on it or something... oh well... shoulda woulda coulda, right? I decided to make yet another thank you card... with the wedding right around the corner, I'm going to need all the TY cards I can get my hands on! Well, I should get back to work!! Thanks for looking!

I've been tagged!

2009-02-02T12:03:00.003-06:00

I was blog tagged by Rachel...... here's the scoop.... when you get tagged, you go into your pictures on your computer and select the 6th picture in the 6th folder.... this is interesting..... the picture I had to select was taken 12.12.08 at Bucktale's Bar in South Superior/Patzau WI. Josh and I went there to meet up with a bunch of friends while Kyle aka Hot Karl was home from Montana to visit for Christmas. In this picture is Kyle (L) and Staupe (R). We had a lot of fun that night and I took a ton of pictures. Hmmm.... I don't know who specifically to tag, SO if you're reading this, TAG! YOU'RE IT! Go to your Pictures folder, select the 6th picture in the 6th folder! Don't forget to explain the story behind the picture!

Boston!

2009-01-10T20:32:00.003-06:00

Katie and I woke up early and headed to Boston. It was such a fun trip. We started out at the Samuel Adam's Brewery and took a tour which was neat, and I got a few things there from the gift shop. From there, we went to Boston Common, and then to Cheers! Yes-- the actual bar that the show was from. They have a burger there... the Norm Burger... and if you eat the whole thing, you enter the hall of fame and get a certificate.... I feel like a pig, but I'm in the hall of fame. When they update the website, I'll be listed... at www.cheersboston.com ... that was at 2pm... it's going on 10 now and I'm still full. Ugh. Cheers and Boston Common are located on Beacon Street... which is a really unique neighborhood. It's really family friendly, and really nice. There are cobblestone streets, brick sidewalks, and gas lit lamp posts!After leaving there, we drove to North Square where Paul Revere's house is still standing. They give tours, but it was so busy in that part of town that we didn't stop for a tour. Just across the street is the harbor where the U.S.S. Constitution is... aka "Old Ironsides"... We were going to get some pics from there, but again... too busy and by that time of day, we were ready to get back on the road because a nasty snow storm was on its way in and it was a 3 hour drive back. When we got back to the hotel, we went and sat in the hot tub for a while, and now I'm here! Blogging and catching up on emails! Oh, and if you're wondering what the pictures of the kids are-- they're "Flat Stanleys" from Robin's class.... so they got to come to New York and Boston too!

blah. that's all i have to say about today. blah.

2009-01-07T19:38:00.005-06:00

What a long day. What a bummer of a day! Anyone who works at UHG knows why.... thanks to the economy sucking so bad... so do our paychecks for the next year. I feel like I gave 150% all year for nothing. ... but I won't get into that... it's depressing!
Tonight after work, the girls and I had to go get our truck fixed.... we had a bit of an ice storm, so our wiper blades froze to the windshield and when we tried to free them, they broke... so after running to dang near every parts store in Colonie, we ended up bringing the truck back to Hertz and getting a new vehicle.... so now we're driving an 08 Ford Edge... it's an ugly looking thing! When we got back, the girls went out for dinner and I stayed in and ordered room service and worked some overtime. I have a cribbage date with Laura in about five minutes, so I figured I'd get a post in before that starts... plus I promised Stacey I'd post today :) Love you hun and hope you feel better soon! Anywho, there's a pic of my delicious dinner.... steamed broccoli, garlic red skinned potatoes, salad, and steak!

more pics from Manhattan

2009-01-04T16:26:00.004-06:00

I {heart} NY ... well, Manhattan anyway!

2009-01-03T19:50:00.003-06:00

Nicole and I woke up bright and early, got our daily dose of Starbucks, and headed down 87 to NYC. We parked our truck in The Bronx, and got an all day pass for the subway. We got off the subway in Times Square and walked around there, as well as Rockefeller Center, 5th Ave, Broadway, and then we took a train down to Battery Park where we walked along the coastline until we could get some decent pictures of Lady Liberty. From there, we stopped at Picasso Pizza and enjoyed some NY style pizza... YUMMY! After leaving there, we went to the World Financial Center and took the skywalk to Ground Zero. See the post below. After that experience, we had another dose of Starbucks and trotted around different subway tunnels until we found the right one back to The Bronx. We spent between 5 and 6 hours in the city and it was awesome. We got to see amazing sights such as Radio City and NBC Studios, the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, WTC, the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center, got to see the new year's ball in Times Square... we put on several miles today... and my foot is killing me! But let me tell ya... I'd rather spend all day tomorrow in agonizing pain than to not have had the experiences I had today. The moment I came out of the subway tunnel in Times Square, I was immediately overwhelmed with excitement and the hustle bustle pace of NYC. Today was a day I won't ever forget. I had a lot of fun, but I still can't wait to come home. I miss home so much.

Ground Zero

2009-01-03T19:37:00.002-06:00

Nicole and I visited Ground Zero today. I've never seen so many people in one place be so silent. It was a very humbling experience. They have most of it blocked off so you can't see, but we were able to get a view from a skywalk. In the construction zone, you can see the American Flag right in the middle. I felt kind of akward taking pictures of the memorial, but it was an experience I wanted to remember... so I'll share those pictures with you.

Hello Vermont!

2009-01-01T19:46:00.003-06:00

Nicole and I took a road trip today! We started out just going to downtown Albany, but got bored with that because all of the shops were closed. Not wanting to head back to the hotel so soon, we headed up 87 and cruised into the Adirondack mountain range. We stopped at the Adirondack Outlet Mall and went shopping and then followed the scenic route up Lake George until we hit Vermont/Lake Champlain. We headed south through Vermont and stopped in a little town and ate at a nice little place called "Back Home Again". They served all natural foods and I had a Greek salad and a cup of chicken wild rice soup... it was delicious! After that, we came back to Albany and here I am! It was such a fun day! Nicole is so fun to hang out with! It's back to work tomorrow, and then we're heading into NYC on Saturday, and so far we're planning on heading to Maine on Sunday. I'm so excited!!!

New Year's Eve

2008-12-31T20:15:00.002-06:00

Hello all! It's new year's eve and you'd think I'd be in Times Square.... well I'm not... but I'm close enough! Katie took a train to the city today to meet up with her boyfriend, and they'll be in Times Square to watch the ball drop. Meanwhile, Nicole and I cruised around Albany and did a little shopping and went to a bar for dinner... and got a ton of food for the price! WOW! Currently, I'm sitting in my hotel room creating a log of my expenses to ensure I'm not going over my budget... which happens to be set at $40/day. I'm so pathetic! Tomorrow Nicole and I are planning to go visit downtown Albany and see some sights... and we're planning a trip to NYC on Saturday. If we get up early enough, we're planning on making it to the Today Show... but I doubt we'll get there early enough! We're hoping to make it to Manhattan to see where the Twin Towers were, and also Staten Island to see Lady Liberty... and also Rockefeller Center and Central Park. I hope we can make it there, weather permitting! It should be so much fun! Work is going well, and I'm really enjoying myself! I'll admit I'm starting to get a little homesick-- and oddly enough I only get homesick when I think of Twitch. I know, that's pathetic too! I sure do miss her. I guess I miss Josh too hahaha and all my friends and family.
Sorry, no pics today.... left the camera in the hotel room all day. Hopefully will have some to post tomorrow night. In the mean time, I'm going to put in some overtime and see if I have enough energy to stay up till midnight! See you all in a couple more weeks!

First Day at the "New" Office!

2008-12-29T19:47:00.002-06:00

Today was my first day at my "new" office.... I met a lot of really nice people, and I feel like I got a lot accomplished. I'm really looking forward to going back again in the morning! I'm not much of a morning person, but this morning (and every morning for the next 3 weeks) the girls and I went to Starbucks for breakfast... YUM.... the best part is.... the company is paying for it! AHH!!! The three of us girls were pretty tired after work, but we went out anyway... had dinner at Chili's, and then strolled around the mall for 45 minutes or so. I had a lot of fun, but my leg is getting kinda sore from running around all day. The weather here is like spring.... I think I wear my jacket just because I don't want to carry it... It's been really nice outside! I'm really looking forward to the weekend... it would be nice to see what Albany is like in the daylight! The pic is of the girls I'm out here with... wearing some stylish glasses we found at Claire's.... That's Katie in the purple ones and Nicole in the funky colored ones :) They're really sweet girls and I'm happy to be spending my time out here with them! I miss all of you back home, and I can't wait to come back! ... but in the mean time, I'm too busy to be homesick!

Up Up and Away!

2008-12-28T20:17:00.004-06:00

I'm going to make this entry short... I've had a long day and very exhausted! Today I caught my flight to New York.... thanks to my honey for driving me to the airport... I already miss you! I met up with Katie on the plane, and then we met up with Nicole when we landed in Albany. We got a brand new Escape to drive for the next 3 weeks, and have awesome rooms at the Hilton Garden Inn. Nice place! For dinner, we went to The Cheesecake Factory. Got a ton of food for not much dough! Afterwards, we went to Target to get a few things and then came back to our rooms. I called my mommy and called my hubby, and here I am :) Here's a few pics..... I'll try and post every day :)

Color Inspiration #35!

2008-12-16T12:56:00.003-06:00

First of all, I must say I LOVE this color combo. I've actually used it before on a sympathy card. For the color challenge, I made a Thank You card... as I need to start stocking up on these since our wedding is right around the corner! In addition to SU cardstock, I used Very Vanilla 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, prima flowers, and the "Many Thanks" stamp set... TFL!

What a night!

2008-12-15T19:51:00.002-06:00

Ahhhhh sitting in my recliner blogging.... and watching House. After working my full shift, I went upstairs and worked on my homemade christmas presents..... and then I shoveled the sidewalk.... and then I had dinner and played with my dog for a bit.... and I just got out of a nice hot bubble bath. I've lived in this house for nearly a year and a half, and as far as I can recall, that's the first time I"ve taken a bath in my tub. I bought some cheap "Apperance" bubble bath about a year ago, and finally cracked the seal on it... the scent is "Calming Waters" or something like that... and OMG it is VERY relaxing! I'm like half asleep right now... very calm and relaxed... I should take a bubble bath every night! AAaahhh

CI #34

2008-12-09T10:57:00.002-06:00

I made a baby gift card holder... not too happy with how it turned out, but I'm working a lot of OT this week, and I don't have time to play! So sad!

Color Inspiration #33!!

2008-12-04T15:28:00.002-06:00

I TOTALLY love doing these challenges. Honestly, I didn't really like this week's combo until I drug out the colors and played with them... and now I really like it!
This is a birthday card I made for my cousin, Tara. I just got the stamp set from my LSS, and I love it! It's made by Inkadinkado... I LOVE IT! Thanks for looking!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-30T00:12:00.003-06:00

Haha how cliche of a title this time of year, eh? These are some pics (thanks to my sister Megan) of my nephew Isaac. Grandma Deb showed him how kids are supposed to eat black olives... and he LOVED it! He's such a cutie... not to mention the youngest yet biggest camera ham I know!! I hope everyone had a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving holiday!

Color Inspiration #32!

2008-11-25T10:16:00.003-06:00

Time again for another Color Inspiration Challenge from Kristina Werner!
This week's colors were Riding Hood Red, Sahara Sand (or a metallic... I used both), Very Vanilla, and Whisper White. I just learned how to make waterfall cards, so I thought I'd give it a shot! I'm not too happy with how it turned out, but I think I am also my worst critic. I used SU Sterling Silver Embossing powder, Holiday Print background stamp, itty bitty borders holly stamp, and the Christmas stamp from the "God's Blessings" set. ...and of course I just HAD to use my Cuttlebug AGAIN.... I LOVE that snowflake embossing folder! TFL!

My wedding dress!

2008-11-19T07:21:00.002-06:00

Rachel and I went to Eau Claire last night to go wedding dress shopping... I just planned on trying some on to see how they fit, and I really wasn't looking forward to it.... but I had SO MUCH FUN! AND I got my dress... on sale.... and it fits just right! No alterations needed! AND It was the first dress I tried on! I'm really excited! Anywho, there's the pic.... and don't you dare let Josh see it!

KWerner Design CI# 31

2008-11-18T09:00:00.004-06:00

For this week's challenge, I used Elegant Eggplant, Close to Cocoa (I wish I would have used more of it), Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White, and So Saffron. I don't know if I'm happy with the card or not, but hey... I only had a few minutes free to whip it up... it's been CRAZY busy here in my household! I just HAD to use my Cuttlebug again... I love the embossing folders! I've been dying to get a Cricut Expression, but I cannot justify spending that much money on one if I never use have the stuff I already have for my Cuttlebug... so I've been challenging myself to use it more often! Thanks for looking!

The snow made me do it.....

2008-11-11T21:20:00.002-06:00

It snowed here today, in Rice Lake, Wisconsin... It only snowed a little less than an inch, but still... it snowed.... I don't know if it was just the snow... or the smell of the pine scented candle burning.... or the molasses cookies baking in the oven... or a combination of all three... I put up my Christmas tree today. No, it's not toooooooo early.... I'll be in New York over New Year's, and right after Christmas, so I wanted to enjoy my tree as long as sanely possible. Notice there are no ornaments near the bottom of the tree... I decided I'd rather not be pulling those shiny glittery buggers out of my dog's mouth this year. I don't even know how many she ate last year, but she was pooping glitter for quite a while. Little brat. Anyway, here's a pic of my tree! Sticking with the monochromatic scheme again... but as long as I like it, it saves me money on buying new ornaments!

Color Inspiration #30

2008-11-11T15:40:00.005-06:00

Ahh yes another color inspiration challenge! I love these! I really liked this week's color combo... it's pretty versatile and can be used for many different occassions.... I chose to use it for a sympathy card. In addition to the colors, I also used my wonderful Cuttlebug and the Argyle embossing folder as well... TFL!

Christmas Card Crazy!

2008-11-10T08:45:00.003-06:00

I started making Christmas cards, and here's a couple of the designs I'm sending out this year... The snowflake is embossed with detail silver SU Embossing powder, and the sheep on the other card are "flocked"... haha no pun intended. LOL I'm a dork. Can ya tell I don't get out much?

Kristina Werner's Color Inspiration #29

2008-11-06T16:23:00.002-06:00

So here's a card I made for my brother's fiance's birthday.... the color scheme comes from Kristina Werner's Color Inspiration #29. I used SU Elegant Eggplant, Pacific Point, Taken with Teal, Pumpkin Pie (ink) and Whisper White. Also used on this card is a piece of white ribbon, my sewing machine, and an American Crafts button... which I stragetgically placed to hide my inability to sew. I embossed the "Birthday" note with "detail clear" powder from Stampendous. TFL!

Twitchy doesn't feel so good :(

2008-11-06T10:59:00.002-06:00

This is my baby. For those of you that don't know, her name is Twitch.... and for those of you that DO know her, you know her name suits her. On a typical day, my baby, Twitch, is bouncing off the walls, hyper as can be. Lately, she's bee feeling blue... or green rather... She's sick and she's going to see the vet today. Hopefully she'll be bouncing off the walls and howling like crazy at the neighbors again in no time. My poor baby!

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-04T06:45:00.003-06:00

My mom's birthday is on Halloween, so I went up north to visit her and we all went ou and had a great time. I'd been feeling kind of down in the dumps back here at my place... Josh works on the road so I only see him on weekends, friends down here are limited, and I don't have any family for over 100 miles.... the trip up North was just what I needed! My cousin Justin and I went to his brother's house to crash their Halloween party, but it was alreay over! Of course, we didn't get there until 1:30am! On the way back from his place, ...get this.... my gas pedal fell of my car! My car is relatively new, so I was a little astonished! I found one of the 2 missing bolts Saturday morning and fixed it, but how many people do you know whose gas pedal just "falls off" their car?!!?!

Free Goodies from Making Memories!

2008-10-28T14:06:00.002-05:00

About a month ago I bought a paper piercer/needle threader by Making Memories from Archiver's. The first time I used it, it broke... both the piercer and needle threader broke the first time using them.... so I contacted Making Memories and let them know, and they sent me some goodies! WooHoo!!

My new computer is here!!

2008-10-14T22:30:00.002-05:00

It's 10:30pm. I am blogging from the comfort of my bed! I just got my new computer today, and I must say.... I LOVE WiFi! I also really like Windows Vista! It's a lot more user friendly than previous Windows operating systems. Even if you're completely computer illiterate, Windows Vista is so easy to figure out!

I have been sitting in front of my new computer all night getting all of my files transferred from my old computer... and I am happy to say that my music, photos, games, and misc files are finally all transferred! Woo hoo!

With that being said, I am pretty dang tired so I'm going to get some sleep!

G'night!

Shopping Spree!

2008-10-09T12:12:00.003-05:00

Last weekend I went with my cousin Laura to see my other cousin, Tara, who is currently in the cities awaiting the birth of twin girls! Tara's had a lot of complications with the pregnancy, so her and her husband have been staying in the cities until the babies are born to ensure nothing else goes crazy in the mean time.

On our way home from the visit, we stopped in Roseville and went to TGI Friday's and ARCHIVER'S (no thanks to Josh's GPS thingy that took us on every residential street in Minneapolis... note to self- set 'method of transportation' before proceeding to destination)! I got a lot of new goodies, as you can see below!

Last night, I re-arranged my craft space (yet again) and I'm hoping that this re-do will leave me with more project inspiration... although it already has-- I started making a mini scrapbook for my friend Katie- she's got a super cute little guy who's extraordinarially photogenic. I've got 2 pages done of her 6x6 album, you can see them below ;)

And last but not least, I ordered a new computer for my photo editing/scrapbooking needs and what not... and I'll also be taking it with me to New York so I have something to do while I'm not working (my plans are to be chatting with Auntie Cherie like I usually do during the day)! I got a really good deal on it through the company I work for... we get a discount on computers at dell.com. With all the customizations I did on it, I still managed to save nearly $300 on it!! WooHoo!

Happy First Birthday, Isaac!

2008-09-27T18:35:00.002-05:00

My newest nephew, Isaac, turns 1 on Monday and today was his birthday party! It was such a blast watching him open his presents.... he was really interested in what everyone had gotten him! He really got a kick out of his 4 wheeler from Grandpa Loren. Luckily it didn't rain, so the party was held outside, which made for awesome pictures! I'll share a few ;) Tomorrow is the local SCCC Shootout... held on the last Sunday in September for the last.... well, I don't know for sure, but it's probably been 10 or 11 years now... it's a blast! haha No pun intended :)
Well, I'm off to babysit my darling nephew for the evening, so I'll leave you with a few cute pictures from today's party!

Oh what a week!

2008-09-18T10:39:00.003-05:00

Well, I'm somewhat able to walk now! I still need at least 1 crutch most of the time, but I can finally walk again! What's even more exciting is now I'm able to get up and down my stairs again, so I've been back in my craft room! I had started painting it a couple months ago, and literally minutes before I was going to do the second coat of paint, I broke my leg.... so I haven't been able to clean the room back up again.... but now it's getting there! I figure 1 or 2 more nights up there and I'll be ready to play again! Woo Hoo! Sorry, no pictures yet... stay tuned for the finished product! I'm so excited!

Gift Card Holders

2008-09-11T11:41:00.003-05:00

So I'm an avid reader of Kristina Werner's blog... and she recently made a gift card holder on her "Make A Card Monday" video.... so I made one too!

I used Pink Pirouette, Kiwi Kiss, and Very Vanilla cardstock; Kiwi Kiss, Pink Pirouette and Tim Holtz distress inks; a Making Memories rattle and 2 brads, and a piece of cream colored ribbon... oh, and the "Short & Sweet" stamp set.

I think it turned out really cute!

Working Vacation?

2008-09-09T12:13:00.002-05:00

About a week ago I was told that my department was looking for people to go to New York between November and January to help train new hires within our company... and guess what?! I've been selected to go! From December 29th to January 17th I'll be in Albany, NY! I'm a little nervous about flying during the winter months, but I'm sure it will be fine. I think I'm most concerned about being away from my honey and my puppy for 3 weeks. I'm sure going to miss them!

Oops! I had another accident!

2008-08-06T13:16:00.002-05:00

Okay, so the first picture is on there for shits and grins.... my fiance's cute butt :) We went up to his parents' this past weekend to help them roof their house and I had a nice opportunity to snap a pic of his cute butt ;)

Sunday night, I took my dog outside to go potty... the steps were wet because it had just rained... and I slipped. I snapped my right fibula, displaced the tibia, and tore a tendon. On Monday, I had surgery to fix all that... and I now have a permanent metal plate holding my fibula back together. There's some pics of my broken foot... and the nasty bruise I got on my arm... it stretches from my wrist almost all the way to my elbow.... it's swollen and it hurts! Much like the rest of me! I'm in a lot better shape today though!

Thank God for pain killers and wonderful surgeons!

Shame on me

2008-07-17T20:40:00.002-05:00

It's been a few days since I last blogged.... okay, well more like a week or two. What can I say?! I've been preparing for the craft show, and I have a TON of stuff left to do.... and only a week left to do it. I think I'm going to go crazy.

Joshua surprised me today... he got rained out at work, so he drove home to spend the day with me, and he's back off to work again at 4am! Poor guy! He just found out tonight that he has to work on Saturday too, but at least they're only working a 10 hour shift instead of 12.... that way we can still make it to Staupe's birthday party!

Well, I've been engaged for almost 2 weeks now. It's still great. I spent every last penny I had to get my ring back from the jewelers. Who knew it would cost so much just to get a ring to fit?! I may be flat @$$ broke, but it was worth it. I smile every time I look at my ring, and think of the night he proposed.... gee whiz... listen to me.... I sound like a mushy freak.... A month ago I couldn't stand his irritating habits... but now they're more like "cute quirks"... I'm a sucker.

My sister is coming down in the morning, and we're going to Eau Claire for Country Jam! I'm really excited! By the time we're able to get down there and get settled, we'll be able to see Eric Church, Pat Green, Little Big Town, and Big & Rich... it's going to be a long (but entertaining) night for us! Hopefully it doesn't rain so I can bring my new camera!!!!! I can't wait!

In the mean time, I have some more things to prepare for the craft show.... so I must log off...... TTFN!

The best fireworks in the history of the world...

2008-07-06T15:27:00.002-05:00

So this isn't the best picture of fireworks, but there's a sentimental story behind it... Josh and I were at the Gordon fireworks with his buddies, and he decided he didn't want to sit with the big crowd of people, so him and I watched the fireworks from the tailgate of his truck. I just got my new camera, so I was taking pictures of the fireworks.... and after taking the above picture, I brought my camera down to 'review' what I'd done, and happened to notice Josh down on one knee with a ring.... so that's it. I'm engaged! Ta da! No date in mind yet..... lots of time to think about that!

I got my Nikon P80 today!

2008-07-02T20:58:00.003-05:00

I am totally in LOVE with this camera! Check out the resolution on my roses! ...and how close I could zoom in on my card! Wowza! WAAAAY better than my old camera!

Have dog. Will destroy.....anything

2008-07-01T07:34:00.004-05:00

Apparently Twitch didn't like all the flowers and fibers on the book either..... I came out of the office this morning to get a cup of coffee..... and noticed the book was missing off the counter.... and as of right now, a lot of the flowers are still missing..... hopefully those copper brads don't tear up Twitchy's intestines! Oh well! At least it was just the cover she ruined..... the rest is fixable :)

My Latest Project

2008-06-30T21:17:00.002-05:00

Okay, okay..... so I went a little overboard on the flowers and fibers.... but I have lots of them to use! I've got a friend who had a baby girl a few months ago, and she's such a doll. I'm in the process of making this book for him, and between my sister and I, we have PLENTY of super cute pictures to put in it!! TFL!

Priceless.

2008-06-25T10:20:00.001-05:00

Trip to Eau Claire with gas at $3.94/gal-- $12.00
Bag of crap from Target that I really didn't need-- $35 & some change...
Two trips to Starbucks for my Iced Caramel Macchiato- $8.44
Fully satisfying my thirst for heaven for at least one more day-- Priceless.

....I need some blog time....

2008-06-19T09:30:00.002-05:00

Okay, so I haven't blogged in a very long time.... shame on me..... I'd use "I'm busy" as an excuse, and even though I have been terribly busy, I still don't think it would be a valid excuse. So what have I been up to? Well, I'm still making jewelery for the craft show in July. I have a lot to do... and it doesn't help that my dog ate my glasses this morning so I can't see! Luckily, I found some contacts.. I'm good to go.....
The weather here in Rice Lake has been beautiful this week. I spent all afternoon yesterday out on my deck making necklaces and bracelets.... and today's project will probably be to mow the lawn... and then do some layouts ;) I can't wait!
On Tuesday, I went to Eau Claire with Rachel, and got a STEAL on some Heidi Swapp foam alplabet stamps.... normally $21.98- I got them for $10! Woo hoo! Ssshhh I'm on a strict craft budget right now.... AND AND AND I bought a new digital camera.... but I won't receive it until July 3rd. I got the new Nikon P80... and I'm really excited to play with it. Rachel and I stopped in to Best Buy to tinker with it, but the salesman scared us away. I'm tellin ya... they must work on commission.

Anywho... I should really get back to work, but I'll leave you with a nice pic I took (with my soon to be "old" camera) of my brother and his handsome little son.... so cute!!

Look what my honey bought me!

2008-05-23T09:45:00.003-05:00

I finally got some patio furniture! I've wanted some ever since we bought the house... Josh agreed to get a set, and viola! There it is! Kmart has a big sale on patio furniture right now, so we took advantage of that. I love it. All I need now is an umbrella for it! ....gee, you'll never guess where I'll be making jewelery this afternoon....

...I haven't blogged in a while...

2008-05-14T09:46:00.004-05:00

...but on the other hand, I said "sometimes I blog about it".... so I guess I'm off the hook, right? I have been so busy lately that I haven't been able to keep up with my blog! So, I'll try and shorten things up, and just add a few pictures.....there's a picture of a 12x12 framed layout I did for my sister, a card box I made for my mom (just a recipe box from Wal-Mart that I altered), a layout of my Godson Connor, and of course-- I re-arranged my craft room again!

I Found Another Awesome Hobby!

2008-04-20T21:43:00.002-05:00

It all started with Elizabeth, Josh's sister..... she needed a necklace to go with her prom dress... so we went to Bargain Bill's yesterday and I got some beads to make her the necklace... and it turned out great! Today, I still had a hankerin' to make more jewelery, so I went back to Bargain Bill's and to Wal Mart and got some more beading stuff.... and I made Mother's Day gifts for my mom and Josh's mom... I made my mom a charm bracelet and a set of dangly earrings, and I made Josh's mom a matching bracelet and earrings (hers are the ones that are pictured together; my mom's are pictured seperately). THEN I needed boxes to wrap them in, so I dug into my "alter it" drawer and pulled out two blank boxes and Mod-Podged them, put some batting in the bottom, put the jewelery inside and tied them with ribbon and ta da! Mother's day gifts are almost done! For now, it's my bed time, and I have to get up early for work... so I'm going to bed. TTFN!

Happy Birthday to Me! .... a day early anyway....

2008-04-09T08:23:00.003-05:00

So Rachel stopped by this morning with the coolest birthday present! I love that woman! .... I wish I was as creative as her! Thank you Rachel!

SPRING is here!!!!

2008-04-06T20:52:00.003-05:00

I spent darn near my whole day today Spring Cleaning.... and I LOVED it!! For some reason, I like cleaning... but not cleaning up after people... yes, there's a difference. Any parent or spouse can tell you that. Twitch and I walked around the yard picking up sticks to get ready for raking, and guess what I found..... a FISH! ... I think it was a smelt... how it got there, I have NO idea.... but there was a fish in my yard. When I finished cleaning, I went and played in my scrap room.... my new room is SOOOOO much nicer than the old one. I love it!! While I was up there, I made more layout's for Isaac's album.... and I'm officially out of "Isaac" pictures to scrap.... so I need to go visit the little bugger if I want more pictures!! .... I think I have a few hiding here on my computer somewhere... those'll make some nice collage pages. Come to think of it... it's like 9:00pm and I haven't even eaten yet! I've just been so busy all day! ... I LOVE busy days... because then I always sleep well..... speaking of which... I'm going to go crawl into bed and catch up on "Good Eats" .... gotta love Alton Brown!
TTFN!

I FINISHED GRANDMA'S BOOK!!! (part 2)

2008-04-06T20:08:00.003-05:00

okay... so the pictures were too big to put on one post... so here's the last two spreads.... hope ya like 'em!

I FINISHED GRANDMA'S BOOK!!!! (part 1)

2008-04-06T19:57:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I had planned on starting on the pages of Granny's book... but I just couldn't stop! Before I knew it, I was out of pictures, and out of pages! I'm really happy with how it turned out, and I can't wait for all of us to get together and give it to her. I'm so excited!!

New Scrap Room

2008-04-04T12:54:00.001-05:00

Here are some pictures of my new scrap room! I also re-decorated my "create" letters to coordinate with my curtains that I will be making....

Overtime anyone?

2008-04-02T09:12:00.002-05:00

So I've been meaning to stay caught up on my blog.... and I haven't! On the other hand, I think Rachel is the only one that looks at this thing besides me anyway.... but then again, I think every new blogger goes through this phase. What have I been up to? WORKING! I'm working an overtime incentive this week.... if I work 15 hours of overtime, I'll get my overtime pay plus $175 bonus... and God knows I need that! I need to make my SU quota, and get caught up on bills. So far, I'm almost half way to my OT goal... and it's only Wednesday morning. I can do it! ... but I'm sure I'll end up working on Saturday in order to reach it.... we'll see about that. Of course, Josh is finally back to work, so I'm able to work longer hours with fewer distractions. I'm totally dying to get the Making Memories Embellishment Center... so I'm going to "treat" myself to that after my quota is met.... unless I find a few extra dollars from this paycheck and I can get to Eau Claire (if they have it).... I'm obviously rambling.... you'd never guess I'm in a conference call right now! Well, I should get back to it. I honestly hope that I"ll be up in my craft room this afternoon to take some pictures.... that is, if I can find my camera.... and charge the batteries.... if I can find my charger...... oy!

I got a new room!!!

2008-03-25T07:49:00.003-05:00

I no longer have a tiny scrap room! Josh broke down and let me have the big room upstairs for my new craft room. Rachel came over last night, and there wasn't room for the both of us in my tiny room, so we had to migrate over to the big room.... and Josh said it looked like it worked out perfectly, so I could take the big one! Woo hoo! The only problem is I have to leave the extra sofa in there.... so I plan on making a reading area too.... we'll see how it all comes together.... sorry- no pictures yet!

Grandma's "Journey" chipboard album

2008-03-20T07:21:00.002-05:00

This is a book I'm making for my Grandma. The theme is "Journey"... as in .... her journey through life. So far, my aunts are helping me with it for some photos, and I'm sure my mom will too.... we're hoping to have it all done by her birthday in July.... I'm a procrastinator... so I need to start on it now!

"Family" layouts

2008-03-17T20:12:00.002-05:00

Here's a few layouts I did for my family album...... if you click on the image, it will enlarge it in case you were interested in reading the journaling or just wanted a more detailed look at the layout.

Isaac's Baby Book

2008-03-17T20:02:00.003-05:00

Here are some layouts I made with the newborn pictures of my nephew, Isaac. Let me know what you think!

Daddy, Isaac, and Big Sister Deanna

Isaac & Mommy
Isaac, Grandpa Marv, and Daddy (top right)

Great Grandma Tuttle & Isaac
Grandma Deb, Isaac, & Deanna

I just HAD to reorganize...... again

2008-03-16T20:29:00.004-05:00

So I've come to the conclusion that I have a re-organization compulsion. When you have so much "stuff" and such a little room to store it all.... it just becomes a habit to re-arrange things. I am happy to say that I am very content with my new room layout.... and I hope that it stays this way for a while... I think the room just flows well this way. Really the only thing I plan on changing in the near future is my file cabinets.... I want 1 cabinet... not 2 stacked on top of each other... and I'd prefer that it be a white one so it goes with the rest of the 'decor'.

I also worked on a few layouts for my nephew's album... I plan on posting those tomorrow.

Wonderful Day

2008-03-15T22:24:00.002-05:00

Today, my parents came down and we went to a gun show at the college.... and Josh bought a Tech-9. Oh freakin joy. I can't really complain though because he bought me a dutch oven and gave me some cash for craft shopping! I got some more flowers, glue pens, and some templates. We took my mom and dad to Norske Nook and after lunch, enjoyed some pie... OMG their pie is to die for! When we got home, Josh and dad played with guns, and mom and I just sat in the living room and gossiped..... then after they left, I took a nap for a couple hours , then went up to my craft room and made a few page layouts and a couple cards.... didn't take any pics though. It was a great way to spend a Saturday. I can only hope that tomorrow is just as grand!

So I was up late making cards last night....

2008-03-12T13:02:00.005-05:00

....and this is what I ended up with :)

Craft Room-- (final?) Re-Organization

2008-03-12T09:20:00.003-05:00

So I dinked around with my room again.... just trying to find something that works! With all of the new organization/storage pieces, I think I've finally found a way to make it work.... and I want to be in there! Kinda funny how I don't want to be in there crafting if it's re-arranged a different way.... but I like this layout... it's functional and semi organized!

I'm in the process of making a 12x12 paper rack out of some cube storage I bought from Target and some zip ties. Seems to be working well! I've left the bottom cube open so it's big enough to store my 12x12 carrying cases.
I've moved all my Stampin' Up sets from the shelf on the wall to the 2 door cabinet. I like this better because I think it makes the wall look less cluttered.
I took my fruit bowl from the kitchen and turned it into my flower bowl.... my Primas are in their jars, but my Heidi Swapps and Bazills and misc flowers are in my bowl.... and it makes a colorful decorative item! I like having my paints handy like this... I'm able to see every color without having to search.

So, all in all, I think I like this room layout the best. It's cute, it's functional, and it's efficient.... but I'm sure I'll end up changing it again in the future... because I'm a nut.

Lazy Weekend

2008-03-10T07:58:00.002-05:00

My cousin Laura came to visit from St. Cloud, MN. We had planned on having a crazy weekend, and instead, she got sick! She was running a fever last night, so we ran to Wally World to get some cold medicine that would knock her out... and it did... She slept almost all day on Sunday... but we did get to go to Bargain Bill's with a friend of mine from work.... Cassie!!! ...and we had biscuits and gravy before we left.... mmmmm!!
On Saturday, Laura and I went to Eau Claire, and we stopped in to Picture This and Michael's and of course I spent waaaaaaay too much money.

Last week, I was in Duluth for training, but I was so broke, I couldn't even step foot in True Colors..... but I did get more organizational stuff for my craft room from Target (thank God I had a Target card!)!!! AND with that being said, I totally RE organized my craft room.... AGAIN.... but I haven't taken pictures of it yet.... for now, I should get back to work! TTFN!

Re-Organization after Super Spend

2008-03-02T21:07:00.004-06:00

Saturday, I went up to Duluth in search of the new location of True Colors.... turns out, it's literally like 5 blocks from my office building.... SOOOOOOO I know where I'm spending my lunch hour when I'm up there later this week! Anyway..... I met up with a co-worker/very good friend of mine, Stacey... we had such a blast shopping all day, and interrogating Target Team Members... lol.... I spent a ton of money (seriously, don't know where I find all this extra cash)... but I was able to stock my craft room with lots of goodies.... After getting home and trying to put all my new stuff away, I decided I needed a new approach to my stamp room- so I went on an organization spree... and I'm delighted with the turn-out!

I also stocked up on Making Memories paints, bought all kinds of Mod Podge... I called Rachel to see which one it was that she preferred, but after I got her voice mail, I just bought all the kinds they had at Michael's.

I've also included a picture of a BEAUTIFUL star that Rachel made me.. I LOVE it!! I had meant to make a post on it a while ago, but I've been so gosh darn sick... thought I was over it by Friday, but then Friday night I got sick again... blah. Well, I'm off to install a new light fixture in my office! TTFN!

Oy I hate being sick

2008-02-26T07:28:00.002-06:00

So I woke up this morning sick as a dog..... I'm getting a bad sinus infection... ick. At least I have it good here... I don't have to go to work and make other people sick... because I work from a home office! Josh is working a long week this week, so I don't have to worry about making him sick.... and the dog... well, maybe she'll settle down a bit if I get her sick. Other than that, it's been a beautiful week! The weather is nice, and it's supposed to stay this way for some time....
I went to Rachel's last night for our stamp night or whatever you want to call it.... I absolutely love hanging out with her... I think I say that every week.... well, it's true! She loaded me up with more goodies... haha I'll have to tell Josh "they came with the house" ...hehe inside joke.... When I left Rachel's, Jerry and I went out for Pizza... the Bungalow bar has (in my opinion) the BEST pizza! I love it. After that, I got home and headed right for my craft room.... and put together a new cabinet... I have a HUGE mess in there to clean up tonight.... let's hope I don't just pass out by the end of the day! I'd LOVE to get some rest.... my head hurts... and my whole body aches.... and my throat is killing me... and my temples are throbbing.... but I'll get over it! :)

Oh, and I"m sure I'll be back on later tonight to post what I've done to my craft room.... and to display the beautiful start that Rachel made me! It totally mathes the paint colors in my craft room!!

More Fun At Rachel's!!

2008-02-18T20:33:00.002-06:00

Oh my gosh I totally LOVE hanging out at Rachel's! I always get a lot more done when I'm there... which is odd because we talk so much! Tonight, I made a few more cards... of course, some I like better than others... I also gave Rachel the "catch all" that I made her, and she seemed to LOVE it! I'm glad... because I was a little disappointed in my work on it... I thought I could have done a better job, but you're always your worst critic, right? Katie had her first date tonight too! She was so excited! But I'm sure you can read all about that on Rachel's blog! Anyway, there's the cards I made... and I had a TON of fun.... but for now... I must go back to work! I need a vacation.

My Stamp Room

2008-02-17T18:55:00.002-06:00

Here's some pictures of my precious stamp room.... and all the "stuff" I bought today at BB's.....

What A Weekend!!!

2008-02-17T18:42:00.002-06:00

It has been a very crazy and productive weekend! Today I went to Bargain Bills (and somehow managed to spend almost $100). When I got home, I made a "catch all" for Rachel... because she's been such a great inspiration and a wonderful friend... but I don't really like it that much, so I'm going to make another one tonight and let her pick which one she wants.... I also bought a new quilt for the bed... because the stupid dog shredded my comforter... and I installed a ceiling fan/light in the dining room... with very little help from my honey... and I installed a light in the kitchen all by myself! I also took some pictures of my stamp room... pictures of all to follow..... and the day isn't over yet! Jeez you'd think I had espresso pumped in by IV today or something...

I GOT MY CUTTLEBUG!

2008-02-15T07:07:00.003-06:00

Just wanted to make a quick note...... I had such an AWESOME time with Rachel last night! My boyfriend even ditched me to go the the bar with his work buddies (some Valentine's day present, am I right).... and I was so busy having so much fun with Rachel that I forgot all about it! I absolutely LOVE hanging out with her (and her wonderful family)! We went to Eau Claire and did some shopping! She brought me to "Picture This" and we had a blast. I spent ooooooooooooooodles of money on CuttleBug stuff..... and still managed to stay under budget! I will blog again later... hopefully with pictures of the new stuff I made last night with my CuttleBug.... but for now I must return to work!

Last night's cards at Rachel's

2008-02-12T07:03:00.000-06:00

I made these cards last night at Rachel's house (click on the image for a more detailed view) .... I was on a HUGE creative streak! ... her house is haunted... but in a good way... I don't make pretty cards when I'm at home! I had such a blast at Rachel's, and I can't wait to go again! She loaded my car up with TONS of goodies too! When I got home, I re-arranged my stamp room to accommodate all of it...

and it looks a lot nicer now! On Thursday, we're going to Eau Claire after work, and I'm going to get a CuttleBug!!! I'm soooooo excited! Rachel showed me how to use hers, and I just HAVE to have one! It'd be the perfect addition to my collection! I can't wait!!!!! Rach~ THANK YOU for all the goodies, and such a wonderful time! Oh, and by the way, your daughter is so PERFECT in every way! I hope that when Josh and I have kids, they're just like her.... but knowing Josh, that'll never happen... I'm terrified he'll breed hellians. ;) Well, back to work!

And yet another card........

2008-02-11T14:48:00.001-06:00

Tonight our stamp night is at Rachel's, and she just finished organizing her craft room.... and found her mojo!!! Haha..... I'm really excited to go see it! I've got plans to make a few thank you cards since I was playing around with a "thanks" stamp and some vellum (bought some Stazon this weekend and HAD to try it out)... in the mean time, here's a different card I made.....

I made this puppy thank you card for my Auntie Cherie.... when we got our puppy, Twitch, my aunt helped us out a lot with training tips and other helpful puppy information... plus it gave me a good chance to try out that bow wow/ruff wheel I got off of ebay.... not sure if the wheel is SU, but the rest of the card is.... well, I'm off to pack my goodie box for tonight! Toodles!

Happy Friday!

2008-02-08T07:22:00.000-06:00

This is a wedding card I made for my cousin and his lovely bride.... just a couple more weeks and they'll be married! I used Almost Amethyst, Very Vanilla, and Barely Banana SU cardstock. I think the ribbon charm is "Making Memories" brand.... I bought a bunch of those things... LOVE them! Once again, not the best card, but doable. Usually all of the cards that I'm happy with go to my Grandmas. Most of my supplies (and nearly ALL of my stamps) come from Stampin' Up! . I am a SU demonstrator, so if you have any questions or would like to make a purchase, let me know! You can visit the website and view the catalog at http://www.stampinup.com

2008-02-07T19:41:00.000-06:00

I thought this was a cute little birthday card.... made with Soft Subtles (SU) paper, and SU Cute Critters and Short & Sweet sets.... the pictures are colored in using SU blender pens and classic ink. I absoultely love this set... because the critters are SO cute!!

2008-02-07T19:38:00.000-06:00

This card is made with Stampin' Up!'s "Bronc Buster" set,

and "Bronco" wheel.... also used the tag punches and some Hodgepodge Hardware... I thought it was a stupid looking card, but I sent it to Kyle anyway..... miss ya, buddy! Come home soon!

2008-02-07T19:33:00.000-06:00

This is a sympathy card I made using Stampin' Up!'s "Close As A Memory" set... I love this set... well, don't get me wrong... I don't LOVE making sympathy cards.... but I really like how elegant the words look, and the flower stamp is so versatile. This card opens from the middle, not like a traditional card. Colors used are Very Vanilla and Brocade Blue, and Bordering Blue, as well as clear embossing powder on the flowers.

MY FIRST BLOG!

2008-02-07T18:38:00.000-06:00

Okay, so besides "MySpace" blogs, I've never blogged before.... I'm hoping that I can keep this going for quite some time, and I'd like to update it daily.... Oh Rachel, you're such an inspiration to me! haha.... My plan is to be able to share some of the cards I've made, and hopefully meet more new people to become friends with. My boyfriend Josh and I moved to Rice Lake in September... we bought our first house. All of my friends and family live in the Holyoke/Nickerson area in Minnesota. I miss being home. I miss it a LOT. I couldn't imagine living farther away from home than I do already... just don't think I could do it. Anyway, within a week of moving here, I made a new friend. I stopped in to the local insurance office to switch over my insurance from MN to WI, and low and behold, I met Rachel! Come to find out, we have lots of things in common, and I feel really lucky to have a friend in this neck of the woods! I love having our stamp nights (when we actually get to have them.... but I think we talk more than stamp)... and it's a great opportunity to share ideas with each other.

I'm 22 years old (23 in April!), and I work for an insurance company... out of my home office. I process health insurance claims, and I love my job.... even though it's highly stressful at times. For fun, I like to make cards, play with my dog, catch up on "Friends" and "Good Eats", and go to the shooting range with my boyfriend. Spending time with friends and family is also very important to me.... seeing how I hardly ever get to see them, I take what I can get and cherish it.
Well, I should probably wrap this up.... my break is about over, and I've got a lot of overtime left to work this evening! Thanks for reading my blog, and return soon! Hopefully I'll have some of my cards added by tomorrow~