Signs of Spring

So, I'm sure you've heard of digi stamping?  Darn, I could have invented that!  Since I have been making cards for over 25 years now (my, how my technique and style have changed) I first drew caricatures (oh, this gives me a reason to go looking for my Xerox copies of those cards)  but after drawing, 15 years or so ago I started using the computer adding text and clip art, then stamping came along and now I combine it.  But recently I heard the word digi art or brushes and here to come find out, it's just like clip art.  I coulda been rich if I only figured out that it would come in vogue, be popular and people would actually think it was something new!  So, on my agenda, a photo op of the history of card making from Huggy Pebmann, to Huggy Cards, envelope greetings to creative greetings!!

But first, my card of the day.... I think I copied someones digi art of the daisy. I liked this layout with the black frames.  Sort of pops!!!

And finally, a very cute view from my backyard.  Tucker allowed me a small photo shoot.  I was taking pictures of my daffodils and he thought he'd plop right down while I was taking some pictures.  How can you not take a picture of that pretty face? He seems to be laughing and having fun, don't you think???

Zindorf - April flowers

I haven't created a Zindorf card in a while.  Well, I take that back, yes I have, but I didn't like how it turned out so I just created the design, but didn't finish the card.  This one I did finish. Michelle has such a talent for highlight and shadow.  My highlights don't show up much, it must be :

A. the white gel pen 

B. I don't have enough dark color down to see the highlight

C. I just don't get it, drawing error on my part.

Yikes, one of the crappy rainy April Showers type of day out there.  The kind that makes crawling back into bed sound very inviting. I better go make it quick before it's too enticing!!

Snaill Mail

He kind of looks like the Whipper Snapper turtle.  He is Whipper Snapper design... how pleasant would it be if we got a little more snail mail rather than the bills and junk mail we get?  I had fun coloring him in. Love the madras plaid

The world as I see it ~ Well, one thing I can say right now is that I'm glad spring break is over!  I get my house back!  I get my schedule back!  I get my time!!  At least I can vacuum a room, or dust a desk and there wont be someone milling about it 2 seconds later.  Don't get me wrong, I don't want to have a pristine house all empty to myself, but it's amazing how 'lived' in you feel when everyone is home just hanging out!  

With temps in the 70's last week and a nice thunderstorm with rain last night, the outside looks pleasant too, everything is starting to bud and pop out of the ground.  Eewwww, especially those beautiful dandelions. 

Yuck!  I must taste good, as I type this, Tucker, who of course is sitting in my lap, is giving me a lick down.  Unconditional love from a furry four legged friend.  Weird!

You take my breath away

Now showing, a beautiful card inspired by Markie's Mom

I really like when she dabs, smooshes, dabbles ink on the paper, (to me what seems like a random order),  then stamps her image on top of that and from there highlights or shades in the places to complete the picture. The stamp is by SU!  I splurged when I was at Archivers a couple of weeks ago and bought what I'm calling this raspberry paper. Only one sheet though, .79c  I thought it was flowers, look closer and it's lady bugs.

I've come up with a new segment of sorts

The world as I see it~ I have the dates (cuz I'm anal like that, plus I have my check book register) On February 12 a cute kid knocked on our door selling us pizzas as a fundraiser for his baseball team.  I know where the kid lives, don't know him or his family.  I'm a sucker for fundraisers.  As I wrote out the check and filled out the form, I asked when the pizza was going to be delivered... the kid aged 12 or so, looked up in his brain and tried to remember saying I think the 24th.  Cool!  February 24th came, no pizza, March 24 came, no pizza.... nothing.  So, I emailed a neighbor of said kid asking for the family phone number and by chance did she order pizzas?  Yes, she says and she got them a few weeks ago, they've already eaten one!   So, I call the house during the day, to obviously just leave a voice mail message asking where my pizza was.  The dad answers the phone... works from home??? (They drive a very, very, very nice car) I tell him who I am and was wondering about the pizza.... long pause on the other end of the line...."Oh, H hasn't had time to deliver them all yet" Yeah right! They had no idea who in the heck the lone pizza belonged too.  They left for spring break, we still have no pizza. 

In the big scheme of life 'who cares' right?  Pet Peeve 96! It was only $12 Fundraisers. Just tired of solictors coming to the door, people waiting outside the grocery store to sell dog treats, or poppies or asking for donations, people standing at a kiosk in the middle of a mall trying to grab your hand to put fabulous lotion on.  It's just turned me sour once again of follow through... you want me to buy your product, but then you don't deliver the goods!

Stepping down....

What's in your basket?

Similar yet different!  Two Easter baskets filled with treats~  two for my two sweet(almost 15 & 17) babies?  You know, I don't really give my family that many cards.  I find them laying around their rooms, on the floor, on the counter, half stuck in the envelope (I think they were just looking for money inside).  All that work and the special sentimental verse and heartfelt feelings I wrote inside the card!  Will they remember some day.... oh yeah.... my mom made me a cute cards... but that's all I remember her doing is being in her craft room making cards!!! Ouch, that hurts.  So, making cards is my vice.

 

I believe these are cute Whipper Snapper bunnies and chicks. I just like to look at these cute images, they put a smile on my face!

Springbreak day 3: Well, hopefully we have satisfied Sissy's craving for PF Chang's.... drove 40 minutes south to Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg IL to have a special treat for lunch yesterday.  Beautiful day, yet windy! 

Some people should have looked in the mirror before they left the house.  Yikes, the things you see!  First of all... if you are walking down the MIDDLE of a parking lot lane... MOVE!!!  I can not tell you how many 'stupid' people walk down the middle of the 'road' and are totally oblivious that there is a car behind them.  They get out of their parked car, step into the middle of the lane and start walking up to their destination... I'm the weirdo in my car talking to them shaking my head in dis-belief.... yes I know patients.... but most the time these people are slow walkers, because they are in their own little world.  Then they get startled when they wake up and see a 4,000 lb car following them.  MOVE IT!!  Didn't your mother tell you to walk on the side near the bumpers of the parked cars, because a big ole car has the right of way and it will hurt you if it hits you, not right down the MIDDLE!!! 

I'll rant about clothes another time!

Easel Card

Haven't figured out a sentiment for this card yet, but love the dp that I got a few years ago. Found a few scraps laying around, still, too precious to use. (Waiting for what? I don't know) The butterfly is a punch from Martha Stewart. This will probably just become a beautiful birthday card. Or it will become a beautiful card sitting in my stash box!!

How do you truly write a happy post with a sarcastic tone, because after all... it is life as I see it.... not funny or humorous, nor sad....the life of a stay at home mom in the midwest with 2 teenagers, 2 dogs, a husband.

Yay! Things are starting to look green outside. Sunny and light blue skies so far today. The temps are supposed to get up in the 80s and windy.... it's a tease!

Although I think I keep a "clean house', this job is a lot of work. You really don't know how dirty things are until you are home 24/7 , you play on the floor with 2 hairy dogs and you have the opportunity to see it all. From literally the ground up. Now that the blinds are open, dirty windows (inside and out) dirt and the outside grime in the base of the window frame. Dust on the blinds, dust on the ceiling fans, dog hair "in" the carpet and on the edge by the base boards, finger prints, grime and dust on the doors and frames.... I could go on, but you get the point. Ugh! Don't get me started on the stainless refrigerator or the salt stained garage floor!!

Stromboli for dinner last night! Now that was a good thing!

Punch a bunny

I mean... a bunny out of punches and die cuts.  I would never be so cruel as to punch a bunny...(but to date myself, wasn't there a jester/puppet named Punch & Judy? ) Once I got all the pieces together this was a cinch to make.  I'm always amazed when paper designer people come up with these really cute things.  I mean really cute!

Spring break here.  Day one, primed and painted Sissy's room. For dinner, Fajita grilled chicken with carmelized red pepper and onion in a pita, with a baked potato.