Dance Like No One is Watching

Well, in this case.... Tucker is watching...

maybe he is actually singing Dog Tunes!!

Ever have one of those days.... just a ruff one,... things don't seem to be going right?

In all honesty, only your loved ones care.... and (sad to say) that's debatable....

Just shake it off!!!!!

Think about it though..... if you have friends and family.... for a moment you can bring a smile to their face..... sending snail mail.... or as I call it FuN MaiL..... is a special way to let someone know you are thinking about them!!!!

No peeking!  I just might be dancing around the house searching for my muse.... and creating a card you didn't even know you needed!!!!

Now go and brighten someone's day!!!

Cute as a Bug

 Little red bug, oh so cute

Here's a black spot for your suit...

~ Susan M. Paprocki

 

Cute little bugs make great images for my creative greeting cards. 

 

Maybe you've received one of my cards over the years.  Business is slow, but I still love a good doodle bug!!!

 

From the fun facts I learned, Lady Bugs are really part of the beetle family.  There are over 4,000 types and their color can be the most popular red, to orange and yellow. Being the bright colors they are, they warn predators that they are not a tasty choice for dinner.  They secrete a stinky yellow puss from their knee joints to warn others to stay away!!  (Beetle Juice)

 

Sticky feet help them climb up stems of flowers and on the underside of leaves. As part of our circle of life, they eat our plant pests aphids. Farmers love to have ladybugs on their crops.

 

Unless you have a net to catch butterflies or a jar to catch fireflies... it's not really a good thing to catch a bug. 

 

I'm getting mixed answers doing a small bit of research, but there is a phrase some use I 'caught a nasty bug'. Is it a good excuse to use when you just don't want to go out?  Or did they really come down with some strange illness? 

 

Years ago before the study of microorganisms, people thought they got sick by infected little bugs that flew around.

 

Cute get well cards often use they phrase.... heard you caught a bug.... and the doodle is some bug with goggle eyes, thermometer sticking out of it's mouth and a cold compress on it's head.

 

Ladybug ladybug fly away home,
Your house in on fire and your children are gone,
All except one and that's little Ann,
For she crept under the frying pan.

Nursery rhymes are a nice way to learn stories, poems and how to rhyme, but when you really examine how they came to be, sometimes the stem from a terrible tragedy. Read more here.

 

Week #24 - LIFE'S simple pleasures - bugs (beetles) they help complete the circle of LIFE

 

Lady bugs all dressed in red

Strolling through the flower bed.

If I were tiny just like you

I'd creep among the flowers too!

~Maria Fleming

Float Like a Butterfly

Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you
 ~ Nathanial Hawthorne

Week #25 - LIFE'S simple pleasures - bugs

It's the middle of June!

We are almost to the half-way point of the year. 

There are so many different topics to explore for LIFE'S simple pleasures.  Unfortunately when I first started thinking of this new week, I just wasn't quite feeling it ... but the more I thought about it, I decided and was determined that even some of the tiniest things can brighten our day, even if it's a bug!

Lot's of bugs may be annoying and ugly, they may even be gross and disgusting.  But one thing is for sure, they serve a purpose in our circle of life.

Butterflies have been one of my go to images in my creative greetings. (FYI I'm a small business that creates unique greeting cards, they are inexpensive and will surely BRIGHTEN SOMEONE'S DAY, I'd love to create something for you!!!)  I think they represent beauty, calmness and freedom.  Throughout history they are often portrayed as symbols of transformation and growth.

There are over 24,000 species of butterflies and they are not to be confused with the over 140,000 species of moths.  Butterflies have large often brightly colored wings and a conspicuous fluttering flight, they are considered a day flying insect.

Butterflies can't see their wings. They can't see how truly beautiful they are, but everyone else can. People are like that as well.

Peaceful Thinking

I am working on multiple projects at one time. 

In a way, it's a good thing because I can use the same layout in multiple ways.  But then, it's a bad thing because my creative space is a disaster area and I can't find a thing! 

My room is a MESS in capital letters.

 I am so excited about these two cards!!

This gives you an idea how you can use the same layout...but there are so many different ways you can go once you use a particular color scheme to match a season.... or create the effects of peace using soothing floral images and a cute yoga stick figure.

Thanks for stopping by on my creative greeting journey!!

Bloomin Hearts

Ooh, I'm a bit nervous. 

 I went to the garden center earlier this week and bought some colorful annuals and then planted them yesterday.  Is it to early in the season here in the mid-west to get my blooms popping in my secret garden? It's a beautiful sunny day, yet cool... will I have to worry about planting a week or two too early?

Punch out flower hearts wont disappoint me!  Lots of red and pink!!   Hard to see it completely, ( but I guess there is a shadow box die cut in the world out there), I just manufactured my own with some paper piecing and using my scor tool to give my box some dimension.  Stamped green stems and added some red & white bakers twin.  This card could have lots of different sentiments, love, get well, mother's day.

Send some FuN MaiL and Brighten Someone's Day!

If you were wondering what your purpose is: your purpose is to CREATE one~ pinterest

Just chicken in!

Here's a cute card with some Marise Carrier birds.  I'm not sure if she has a web site anymore, but I just love the simplicity of her line doodles of birds and animals.  I'll have another card to post soon, raining cats & dogs.  But these little birdies are just checkin' in!

The wings have some crystal effects glaze on them.  I'm finding that although I think my cards are totally awesome, they pop with a little bling like crystal effects or stickles. I like the chicken scratchings... the stamp that makes the bird feet is from Stamps by Judith.

Well, I finished up a 3 week temp job at the Accounting & Tax office.  It was really busy the 12 days I worked before taxes were due on April 17.  But after that, things (like the phone and clients coming in the door) tapered off by 80%.  The CPA took Wednesday off... but getting back to their 'normal' work of payroll and checks.... they really didn't have anything for me to do. I'm not the accountant type... leave the finance work for my husband! :)   I hate being bored, or them having to FIND work for me to do.... so, yesterday, Friday, was my last day.

What's next? Stay tuned!

Butterfly Wishes

Oooh, I really like how this card turned out.  I used the left over scraps from the black and white mini album that I showed you on the post two days ago, and found a great layout that looked interesting.  Every once in awhile, I stumble upon an old old SU! stamp in my stash and I thought this was a beautiful sentiment.

Yesterday I was in Target and as I walked by the card aisle I briefly glanced and saw St. Patrick's Day cards with photos of cute doggies wearing green hats with 4 leaf clovers popping out everywhere.  I am just fascinated by cards. 

If my sales are slow, I might as well send out some FuN MaiL and Brighten Someone's Day!

Fall Back

Oh my gosh, I wouldn't know what I'd do if I didn't have cardmaking to fall back to.  Like I posted a few weeks ago, there are

so many ideas

and so little time.

I like the blue and brown combo.  This is a nice Fall-ish type of card.  I found in my stash the 'thinking of you' sticker.  Fits perfectly! It is amazing how the paper craft industry is evolving, with the new punches (cute leaf punch seen above) and the yummy paper that I'm too afraid to cut into.

Have you sent out any FuN MaiL recently??

Mistakes are proof you are trying ~ pinterest

6 Layers

Pretty popped up butterfly on the almost fallish Thinking of You card. I love this Martha Stewart punch and I loved when I saw someone punch out three and then fold two of them and glue them back to back on the wings, and what a cool way to make a dimensional popped up butterfly. This is the kind of thing I blog surf for, and find such great ideas.

Feeling a sense of loss today and all teary, so I will end today's post with this nice quote I saw on Pinterest:

Some day everything will all make perfect sense. So for now, laugh at the confusion, smile through the tears and keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason.

Thinking of You!

My mind is Blank!

Art is the only way to run away without leaving home! I just want to make beautiful things, even if nobody cares!

Oh, I know some of y'all care... I just found these art quotes on Pinterest.

I enjoy making the doodles and embellishing the cards. Requests are slow, (lazy days of a hot, hot HOT summer) so I don't know what kind of cards to make... so I'm leaving things blank. This card will be ready to send out at the right moment, just add sentiment!

sMOOches

Fun and whimsical.....sMOOches.... get it???

I would never take credit this is my own, but I'm not very good at writing the name down from where I CASed the project. My process of creation often is: work in my office in the late afternoon and night time where I go blurfing and check out galleries on Splitcoast Stampers... from there I look at blogs and then other 'artist' blogs from links, sometimes it could be 3 or 4 deep into it the original post.... I see something I like and I start to doodle away. A few days later after it's been completed, I take a digital picture of the weeks works... then I upload it to the computer. And then through the week, I highlight something 'cre8tive' on my blog.

The cow is doodle and then cut out and popped up. I made the clouds from inking circles to look like a cloud. This could be a love you card for a friend! xoxo

A Little Wand Action

- Once Upon a Time
- The End

Fairies, butterflies, owls... oh my.... just a C-creative cycle of fun and whimsy. Mom's love to give their little princesses cards with fairies on them. Something about the glitter on the wings or the magic of the wand... or the silliness of the possibilities of what dreams can come true with a pinch of glitter, a swirl of the wand and a few wishes!!! I loved making the card with the stars.... although a simple layout... I was sitting there (I think during the Super Bowl) trying to figure out the biggest impact of making the star boarder around the cute wanna be fairy princess! Glitter is a must on both cards... doesn't show well in the picture... but on the wings, the wand, the crown... I love a fairies bling!! This is some happy FuN MaiL!

Seems like a long week. The brrrrrrr cold, the feet of snow.... the winter grind (no sunshine). But it is Friday! I think it was sandwich week in our house.... Ground Italian Sausage with sauteed onion and red pepper, French Bread Pizza & Pulled Pork with Saz's BBQ sauce.... last night was crab cakes with boiled potatoes..... nice hot meal on a cold, cold night!

I'm going to put on my fairy wings and see what kind of fun I can brew up.... sounds like a witch... glam up! Poof!!!

Plowed under

- Patch work
-Before the storm

I really like the Sizzix top note punch.... and I like using scrap paper to make a quilt like background..... the little girly girl is a new idea from Stampin Bella.... something like pixie. This could be a valentine, or a thinking of you. Sparkle is on the heart, all glittered with stickles. Calm and mellow pinks. Just a touch of pink ribbon on an angle.

I took pictures yesterday before the big Blizzard of 2011 began. We had approximately 9" of snow on the ground. I tried to take a picture where there wasn't any 'extra' piles of snow. And I always like to take a picture of the mailbox to see how much snow build up there will be after the plow comes through.

It's 8:10 am.... the day of, or during the BLIZZARD of 2011. School was cancelled by 1 pm yesterday for today. Hubby brought his computer to work from home. and now....The snow is still falling, the wind is still really blowing and it's about 13 degrees out. Not sure when we'll get out to plow and shovel and snowblow.... the swirls of drifting snow engulf Bubba's car in the drive way. The covered patio set out in the back is completely blanketed. I look out the kitchen window and our neighbors utility door is covered with snow up to the door handle. I can't tell the difference between the end of the driveway and the street. It's kind of weird and fun all at the same time! Very thankful to still have power!

Polka dot You

I love blurfing to get ideas!  What to do with a crazy polka dot pattern paper, of course, add more dots to it!  Too dang cute!  I'm thinking of you!  Hey, thanks for visiting my blog!

Cool, cool cool sunny hump day morning!  After a windy day yesterday.  I heard strange noises on the west side of the house, when I ventured out, 4 rows of siding were flapping in the wind.  When Bubba got home from school he helped me put up the 20 foot ladder and duct taped it down until DH can figure out what to do!  Duct tape, such a great product! 

Sissy's v-ball won in 2 games last night, pretty easy.  Went into a 'cute' resale shop in a town nearby.  I feel like I know this one lady (the owner?) and I've only been in their twice.  She has a big personality.  I don't know if she is making a fashion statement or she has been ill.... but she sports a beautiful bald head.  Yesterday their schtick was anytime someone walked in.. they said hello, Hello, HELLO.... hello... like the three stooges!  How could you not SMILE at that.  Having FUN and not being afraid too!  Wow!

Living in the moment

It's kind of funny what you eventually do to a card if your initial stamping is off kilter, the entire card then goes kiddie wumpus!! Colors of the card also look much better IRL (in real life).  As the days go by I realize I need a few more things in my life that aren't so straight and narrow, so perfectly lined up, a little crooked!  Huh?  shakes things up a bit.

Beautiful Labor Day weekend!  How about you?  The grands came down for a visit and we had a delish grilled out steak and potato lunch!  Yummo!  Got things done around the house.  And now it's another week!  Cooler temperatures already, means that fall is just around the corner. Gotta find a way soon to help someone on a part time basis.  I do have skills..... hmmm, what to do?

3 Posts away from 1,000

Special request, but the colors look better in real life!  The sun is shining today.  Looks as if we got about 1" of rain. Short and sweet, not too much to report.  I'm sort of on a kick of not complaining.  But I admit there are a lot strange things going on out in the world.  Strange people as well.  Life is good when I get time to create!

More on butterflies

Popular theme, yes I know I showed off cute flowers that float last week, but there is so much out there in the way of butterflies! You will probably see more posts about them in the weeks to come. These first two cards are inspired by Nichole's blog Capture the Moment I have been following her for years, she started Papertrey Inc. Her stuff is so darn cute.... and again, since I have not bought from her, but I have similar supplies, I admit that I CASe the goods.

I just love the way these cards turned out and think I will make more, maybe even as a card set.

The last bright yellow card was inspired from somewhere... but it is going in my SHINE pile of cards. One day I will tell you what that is.


And yes, the sun is SHINING today, again! I looooove it!!!!! Give me some sunSHINE!!!

Well, sad news.... but good news too! Bubba played in his division Illinois high school state hockey play offs last night, it was the 2nd game into the elimination round. He scored one of the two goals and assisted on the other goal. Whooo hoo!!! But unfortunately, they lost 3 to 2 and they are officially out of the state playoffs. Season over! And from what we can tell, the end to his hockey career? He talks about not trying out his senior year..... so we'll see. At least he went out on a personal high note!!!

Well, I gotta pack, finish some laundry, make up some snacks, get my stamping project/down time stuff ready to go, and after school it's up to Wisconsin for a volleyball tournament! Take this stuff while you can, we only have 3 more years left with kids until they flutter away!!!!

Thinking of you

Sunny days..... just sitting here thinking of you!!!

Butterfly friends

Bought a Martha Stewart butterfly punch, you can see it in the last two cards. Butteflys are everywhere in cards these days. I guess they mean change, peace, happiness & joy.

You can use them for a Sympathy card or thinking of you, or floating around a joyous birthday candle. You can have brightly colored butterflys, or just subtle ones. Should I be writing butterfly's or butterflies....

And you can layer them to make them look like they are flapping their wings.

Culturally, butterflies are a popular motif in the visual and literary arts.

Thinking of you

Whipper snapper design.... I believe. I'm just having fun making cards, all kinds of cards, CASe-ing cards, tags for packages, drawing doodles of cuteness from where ever I can find inspiration.

Wow! October was my worst month as Creative Greetings, although I gave away over 20 cards and paper craft items, I did not sell anything. Notta, zilch, zippo, null! This really surprises me, and well, greatly saddens me! But I have to move on, it's November.

High school volleyball is over. Sissy's team had their last tournament last weekend, and the won the entire thing. I believe overall all with their season they had 2 losses.