Zindorf

It's been a while since I did a Michelle Zindorf tutorial. The next 'card' holiday up must be Valentine's Day!! Lots of luscious pink and sassy red hearts popping up on SCS's gallery. Again, it's so amazing what Michelle can teach us to do with rubbing a little ink into paper. Here we are just smooshing ink off of a circle to create the bursting effect. So fun, I love learning!

Dreams: Do you remember your nightly dreams? Is there a difference between someone telling you to dream big and you day dreaming of what could happen? Is dreaming while you sleep your sub conscious bringing you to a place and now you are part of the scene that is being played out?

One re-occurring dream I have is working at McDonald's and I'm always so confused working at the register. I worked at McDonald's from 1980-1985.... it was a big part of my life. I also dream that my name can't be found on the schedule so I don't know when I'm supposed to come into work.


Maybe my McDonald's dreams are telling me the place I ought to go work.....could you imagine? 25 years later.... ugh the grease on my face.... no way!

Bohemian Cupcake

I said this before, but I think cupcakes are the new 'cake' when it comes to birthday cards. One cake with candles, versus a whole bunch of cupcakes that can be stacked on top of each other... in different shapes, colors, tilting off or in a perfect tower. Completely and totally cased card, already given away!

Here's a little fun to stay with the Bohemian theme. Sit back and turn up the volume.

If this is the end are you the person you want to be? Every day I'm trying to listen better, I don't have to interject what I'm thinking during every conversation. So many self help quizes, emails, quotes, books, magazine articles on how to become a better person.... like a New Years' diet, (don't like the word diet... lifestyle change LIVE it!!) will I be the person who I should be? Stay tuned!

Fun Cupcake

Well, not back to normal, but the holiday rush and anticipation is over! Time to start cleaning the paper and boxes, filing the receipts and vacuuming the plastic pine needles.

I noticed the other day that my stash of birthday cards is getting low, so I think I will need to focus on birthday cards. Love the layout below. I'm going back into the archives of some SCS folders to find some basic layouts and layered designs. I really like how this card turned out.

So yesterday Sissy and I went to Chicago and met up with my mom and 8 other friends and family members of said friend. We were our own crowd!! I like the difference of being downtown Chicago, but don't like the whining and the questions and the quirky-ness of 11 different personalities. My gal pal and I need to plan the day just for the two of us.... well we probably need to plan the gathered day (I'm sure my friend could gather a bus load of friends to bring to Chicago).... and then a day for ourselves!!

2nd City

Windy City, Chi Town, the City, Downtown. my kind of town..... what ever you want to call it.... going downtown to Chicago today to meet up with friends from Wisconsin. They are bringing my mom down, and our trains meet about 10 minutes apart. Brrrrrrr a cold day..... we'll see what the city brings us today!!!

PS Left over card for your viewing pleasure!

Twas the day after Christmas....

... and all through the land,
we got 10" of snow,
the weatherman DIDN'T plan.

Thank goodness we were snug
all cozy and warm
opening the plastic packaging of gifts
while outside, a storm.

We see all kinds of weather
Here's to living in the mid west
although snow is pretty
sunshine is always the best.

A new year is coming
it will be 2010
wishing you joy and happiness
Please come visit my blog again!!!

ps~ still having computer problems, but now I've moved everything to the lap top. I hope that doesn't crash! Yikes! And we got a computer back up drive from Santa.....computers, what would we do with out them?

Merry Christmas

May there be joy and love today, tomorrow and throughout the new year for you and your family. Relax and enjoy the holiday season, see it through a younsters' eyes. May peace be with you!!!

Missing

Oh my, I'm at a loss because my main computer that I upload pictures and cards is still NOT virus FREE..... what to do? Hubby is still at a loss (it appears our computer guy must be too). I don't know about you, but I have been using my computer as a form of entertainment and communication and not necessarily a work tool.... so when my fun goes down, it takes me with it... I almost don't know what to do!

But as I type this with a smile on my face.... what is it that I CAN do right now!!! I'll be back soon, looking for what I can do!

Out with the old!

It's the end of December! Isn't that the time we reflect on the past year? What we've done! What we should have done! What needs to be cleaned out to start the new year fresh, so as not to repeat the same old things, over, and over and over again. Knowing what really matters in life!

Here are the first two cards: Although I thought the colors were more complimentary on the card above (I guess it didn't photo well, or my eyesight is shot) , it's part of a 10 pak gift pack sent to a special person. One day not too long ago, I received a surprise in the mail. Yellow paper, shades of yellow paper, embellishments in shades of yellow, ribbon and stickers and oh so much more. All this great fun stuff for a creative card maker, so I decided to have it combined into a special project that can't quite be revealed yet. In return for all the sweet citrus paper, we'll see only some of the stuff this week that I created with that care package.

I'm reading the book Eat, Pray, Love..... lots of good quotes.... good karma.... today I will sit here with a smile on my face as I meditate!!! And as I think how thankful I am to be able to reflect on the past and maybe get on with the future with a little bit of a SHINE on!

Big Hit!

Kind of hard to tell, but the front of this car is a bit banged up! Today is my hubby's 46th birthday and this card is for him! His present..... last night he hit a deer on the way home from work! Yikes!!!!!!! So I whipped him up a sentimental card... hope it's not Rudy that he hit! Inside: Hope that your birthday is another BIG HIT!! ha ha.... you gotta laugh at this situation right before the holidays. Only thing damaged: his car and his ego..... at least he is safe!

The man's never gone deer hunting but in the past 15 years he's hit two deer. Go figure!

Final(ly) day 4 Charley cards

Here she is, one of Santa's helpers! This was fun to show 4 totally original cards! Another one of our computers got the dreaded blue screen, so the kids have been using 'my' lap top and let me tell you it's quite hard trying to be creative without my faithful SCS (Split coast stampers, website and gallery for card makers) up on the screen giving me ideas!!

I can tell it's going to be a weird day!!! I feel it in the air. The dogs are acting weird, the neighborhood walking the dogs seems weird!!! Oh, probably that holiday spirit floating by!!! Well, let's see if today is my last day of work! Wish me luck!!!!! And a happy day to you!

Charley, day 3

Peek-a-boo, just hidin' from you! I love making these mish mosh backgrounds where I take scraps, glue them down then stitch around it. Always makes for an interesting card.

Tick tock, tick tick, time goes by, so slowly..... Madonna... nah! time is just flying... soon will be Christmas and the new year and then more snow..... how is your day going??? No roses to smell? Take time to enjoy the view? SHINE!

Charley, day 2

I'm cool like that!!! Charley has a little penguin friend.... how can it NOT be her boyfriend Cooper. I'm telling my puppy that Charley has a new dude!! Hee Hee!!! What a talented dog to balance a little north pole friend on her nose!!!! This one was fun to do!!!

Brrrrr, cold!! About 8 degrees out! But sunny! I'm not going in to work today until about 11 am.... that's kind of good.... I can get a few things done before rushing outta here. Yesterday I sat around for about 1 hours worth of time, waiting for work to come my way. The boss lady (well kid, I think I could be her mother she graduate high school in 2003) in charge says that she and her co-workers are so busy (but it's computer stuff). I could see that.... but if you don't have orders to pull and post for the hired help.... I just HATE sitting waiting for work. Sorry, I hate complaining, but venting here on my blog does help.... some day I'll have the perfect job and understand it all!!!!!

Charley, day 1

As part of a lovely little gift pack for Charley's mom, here is one of the happy cards with her 'fav' pooch all warm and toasty in a holiday scarf. I like all the different elements and shapes brought into this card. Also like the the lollipop corner dots (thanks Kim). Staying true to my only original cards, each one has a hidden heart on it somewhere around Charley.

Yay! Beautiful and sunny day today. Counting down the days to Christmas and the time when this temp job is done. There are mumblings amongst the temp crew, 'what and when we will be told" are our jobs a kaput.... or will some of us stay on????

3 Jingle balls

How many balls do you have up in the air at once? These cute little snowballs are even stackable. Looks like they are whistling a happy holiday tone too! Last years idea, this years card, nobody to sell it to! Same ole story!! Stay tuned, our holiday Christmas letter saved a tree and I wrote it on another blog spot... details to come!

Quite the foggy dreary day today! But, the Packers did WIN big over the Bears yesterday and we did go to a neighbors house to watch the game. Us in green and gold, them in blue and orange.... suckas!!!!!! Last week of school for the kids.... and me! It shall be interesting to see how the week ends with this temp job I'm working at. Last but not least. Tucker will spend the holidays with us and then we will be returning him to the rescue. I'll mention more, later.

A very Merry Christmas to you!

Love, love the new SU! ornament stamps and punch and love all the designs on SCS..... but I of course didn't buy the SU! products.... found a cute $1 stamp at M's and then cut out my own. Cute cuttlebugged snowflake background and what a simple and cute card. Love the word love and cute today!

Beautiful sunny day today! We have about 5" of snow on the ground and it's 4 degrees!! Brrrr, poor doggies aren't going for a walk AGAIN today! Sorry guys! Yes, and by the way... we still have Tucker. He has shown none of those signs of aggression. Oh, what to do....like I've said, when he is cute! he is so adorable!!!!

Tip: when you work next to people, please wear deodorant.... or something! Oh the smells I smell at work! And quit yakking on your phone while I'm sitting next to you working!!! Aaargh!

Fairy Christmas

Oh my, I love all the cute puns out there. Not sure about this card with the cute Ketto girl, but I guess if you had a girly friend it might be the perfect card to give her for the holidays. The black side scallop is a Martha Stewart punch. I was going to say 'new'.... new to me, but I bet it's been out there a while. I don't know if MS line of paper crafts are going to make it. It's always on sale and M's has been having coupons for an additional 20% off. Cuttlebugged the background and used stickles to add glitter spots.

So I get to work a bit early yesterday (about 8:50 am... I work 9-5) because of the 6" of heavy wet snow and as I'm walking up to the building a bunch of family/temp workers are huddled around the entrance (smokers)... I think "Oh great" now I have to walk through that crap. And as I enter, all the other employees are sitting in the front hallway...."No power". We were out of power until about 11:00 am. We all gathered in the front room that has a huge picture window and just started stickering gift cards. (Sometimes when you get a card, they already have a tiny sticker on that reads the denomination) It was a warm and fuzzy moment. The company has 12 permanant employees, and it seems like there are about 3 friends of the bosses kid that come in and out running errands, 4 temp workers and 4 family members of one of the sales people. I'm thinking I have 7 more work days left!

Rudy and friend

Although I have a few other snowmen up my sleeve, I thought I would show (off) case something else. A little bella? brand Rudolph and his friend looking up at the stars. Joy to the World, a great sentiment! A little red stickles on his glowing nose and clear on the stars.

Well, we got the snow that was promised, I didn't shovel it (that's what I have my family for) but I would say we have at least 6"+ out there. Heavy wet stuff. I think DH is having trouble with the end of the drive when the snow plows came through. We have to make everything wide enough, now that we got the 3rd card on a 2 car type drive and garage. Oh to have such a problem!

Snowball fight!!

Tag, your it! Love this snow guy... actually snowballs. So adorable. The saying is from TAC, thought it was kind of appropriate... snowflakes don't linger.... they become blankets of snow over the scenery, or they become compacted ice under your tires, or they become cute snowmen, or wicked snowballs.... which helps them to linger a bit longer!!!

Be forewarned, winter snow advisories have been out for 24 hours, it's the biggest snow of the season, we're going to get inches and feet of snow. I'll let you know how it turns out tomorrow. The panic of breaking news that it is snowing in December in the mid-west. Go figure!

What can yellow do for you?

Here's a bright and shiny snowman decked all out in nontraditional yellow. He is an image from last year, but using copic markers and a shading technique I learned, I think he looks more 3-D. Now what I mean by an image from last year.... I probably got tired of making holiday cards, but I still liked all the cute images out there, so I made tons of extra 2"x3" doodles and drawings of other people's cute stuff, put it in my Christmas bin of merry-ment, to now be surprised and use them on card fronts. Simple as finding the right layout!

It snowed a flurry or two again last night. So far, this kind of winter I can handle. I even got a little Christmas shopping done over the weekend. Feeling a bit productive... oh yay! also got the tree up, and the stockings are hung by the chimney with care too!! Happy Day.

Stuff your stockings

Would he melt in your Christmas stocking, melt in your mouth, melt in your arms? Another snow man! Go figure! I got a million of em folks!!! There's no man like a snow man!
The only embellishment is the snowflake button.

We have a nice blanket of snow on the grass, it's about 22 degrees out.... brrrr... sipping some Chai Tea. Can it get any better than this, on a Saturday monring? I think not! Enjoy your day!

A cupo' joe in the s'no

I'm like butta.... I'm on a roll, with snowman that is. Here is another cute guy with some holly & berries on his hat and a few marshmellows in his drink. I just took scraps and layered them out in a sort of order and stitched them to the background paper... to give it an eclectic feel. Added some white gel dots and circles and lines to draw interest to the corners. Kim did you get your snow? We have a nice icy layer everywhere.

OMG, TGIF!!! This week seemed soooooooooooooooo long. Now I'm worried about getting decorations up, and finding stocking stufferes, and getting cards out.... oh yeah, although I'm outta the house now 40+ hours, whose going to be my cleaning lady???? Furry dog bunnies in the corner, half laundry folded, dishes in the sink.... I'm not cut out for full time (not even) work.... it's too much work to have both jobs!!! Thank you, I will step down now!!!

Never tire of snowmen

I probably should have a separte post just for all the different kinds of snowmen I've found to re-create over the years. This cute guy was in last years stash as well. I had made the swirled background card stock, but couldn't find a use for it... then this guy fit right in the middle, I added a few snowflakes, white gel pen, oh.... maybe a little glitter glue?? Can't remember.... and voila!!! Many of these cards don't have a sentiment, so I can add it when I send it out to that someone special who needs a party on a card.

I was thinking... right now I'm temping at a gift card company.... my creative greetings !! are a card that is the gift!! Yeh, yeh.... not too funny this morning.... over cast and cloudy, nothing to laugh at. Hi ho.... it's off to work I go!

How about a warm mug and a howdy?

This is an image from my bin (last years stuff) that I added a few more pines to the hedge hog's spine to fill him out a bit.... I guess my coloring in last year was slacking.... they look much better now. Nothing too hard here. A fun warm greeting card. Just going through my stash of cards, that are for sale by the way. $2 each. They look like they are having a great conversation, don't you think??

I'm off to the high school.... seems Sissy forgot to bring her reading book to school. Mmmmm, will she remember these nice things her mommy did for her? Then off to work stuffing envelopes with $5 pizza hut cards!!! Happy Day!

Dingle-Dangle

A happy little snowman for the first of Decmeber, snowflakes and all. Just showing off today, computer problems again, busy day at my temp. job, good chicken shish k bobs for dinner. Wishing for happy sunny days, ahead!!