Welcome!!

I can't believe I haven't blogged in almost 2 months!! Time is flying!!

Work is so crazy today but I wanted to welcome Liam James into the world. My new nephew!! He is doing well as is my sister-in-law, Ana!! Congrats to my brother and family!

I can't wait to meet Liam today!

Excitement!!

I went to AC Moore today to buy glitter glue pens for one of my clients and I saw new packs of American Crafts paper... 60 sheets for $20. Paper I definitely do NOT need but I LOVE American Crafts paper, really all their products... and when I saw love they make my heart sing!! I wish I could take a picture but I'm at work right now.

I thought the summer would be a time to take it easy but I have been so busy and working alot! I have some ideas in my head though about crafty things.

Also, I rejoined Weight Watchers... for probably the 50th time... and I can tell a difference in how I feel... YAY!!!

Doesn't Pay to be Healthy

It is well documented that I do not like fruit... the texture, the wetness, the squishiness, the tartness, blech! (I do try to choke it down though to keep the doctor away and all that). Anywho, the one fruit that I do like is strawberries. However, last night I met up with a friend and we went for a lovely walk and then stopped at an ice cream parlor. Instead of getting ice cream I tried to be healthy and got a strawberry-banana smoothie... something I have drank many times.

Long story short, Kira and I are walking to our cars and I asked her "Does my lip look funny?" "It is a little swollen." I decided to stop by my parents to show my mom and she took me to the ER as I was having trouble breathing and was covered in hives. Anyway, obviously I am fine today but lying on the stretcher with my throat closing, heart racing and my vision starting to narrow was one of the scariest moments of my life. Thank God for IV Benadryl! and a great mom who is also a nurse and for Marty who dropped everything and rushed over to the ER.

I called the ice cream parlor to ask for the ingredients of the smoothie and it definitely was not as healthy as I thought it was! But it was really good!!! Was it worth an ER trip, I don't know! I go to my doctor next week for allergy testing and in the meantime I am going to avoid strawberries. But I will be ordering a cookies n cream ice cream with butterscotch... I have never heard of anyone being allergic to that!!

Amuse

I love these Amuse stamps... Amuse stamps are so tiny that sometimes I'm not sure how to use them. This was a really quick card! I can't seem to make a card without adding my glitter pen... this time on her socks! TFL!!

Details-

Paper-SU Purely Pomegranete, So Saffron and Cutie Pie

Ink-Colorbox

Stamps-Amuse

Accessories-Marvy punch, Glitter pen, Copics and SU markers

Hello

I got home from work early today so got some stamping in... it's rainy and gloomy here today so the light is not the best for this picture.

The middle image is popped up on pop dots. I covered the flowers with a combination of glitter pen and crystal effects. I used a combo of Copics, prismacolor markers and SU markers to color the flowers.

Celtics in the finals!! I admit that I am totally a fairweather fan but I have been watching the games with Marty who is a HUGE celtics fan and I really enjoy the games!

Details-

Stamps-SU A Little Bit of Happiness
Paper-SU Blush Blossom, Bashful Blue

Ink-Colorbox, Copics, Prismacolors, SU markers

Accessories-Cuttlebug swirls folder, American crafts ribbon, Crystal Effects, Stardust pen and pop dots

Where Do You Start?

You know when you;re supposed to call someone but you don't and then so much time goes by that you feel weird calling them... that's how I've felt with blogging!

So here's what I've been doing...

*counting down the days until summer vacation...19!!! who knew sitting with teenagers all day could be the most exhausting thing I've ever done!!

*some stamping but not enough!!

*buying tickets to NKOTB in September!! and feeling 13 again!

*being really bad at keeping in touch with long distance friends!

*hanging out with someone new who has definitely put a smile to my face:)

Featured Stamper

I haven't done an SCS challenge in a while and I knew I wanted to do this one. Laura from Scrapnextras was featured stamper a while back. I LOVE her blog and LOVE her style. I picked this card. I copied the layout but it's pretty self explanatory what was changed!

I am on April vacation this week so no teenagers for me... I am picking up hours at the hospital but I'm pretty happy for a break! The weather is amazing here and for a few reasons, life is pretty good:) Thanks for looking!!

Remember When...

A few short months ago I thought I was too cool for a flu shot. I figured I'm young, healthy, I'll deal... then there was a few days ago when I opened my eyes and found myself staring up at my ceiling. Hmmm... how did I get here? Last thing I remember I was making a dash for the bathroom before my stomach contents came to say good morning. Then I closed my eyes again, rolled over and thought that the carpet in my bedroom would be my last view of this lovely life.

I am eating my words, my friends. The flu is one nasty piece of work and no mistake. I have the bump on my head to prove it.

Love It

Edited: While reading other blogs I realized that this sketch is actually the one for SC167... I thought I had come up with a cool sketch of my own:)

I love this card... if I do say so myself!! This started out for the SCS sketch challenge 160 but I couldn't get the sketch to work with me so I ended up with this! There is something about it I really like... I think the ribbon... I LOVE this black polka dot ribbon!

Anyway, this is a for a friend's birthday coming up... off to bed! TFL!!

Details-

Stamps-SU Time Well Spent, Rhonna Farrer clear flower stamps

Ink-SU Ruby Red

Paper-SU Ballet Blue, Ruby Red, ?DP,Black

Accessories- Amuse bling, ticket punch, May Arts ribbon, Prismacolors, blender pen, SU markers

Back To Business

Here are a couple of cards I made in the past couple days... the first being a birthday card for my niece Grace who turns 1 next week!!The second card is a thank you card for my brother and sister-in-law. They gave me this name stamp which I think is so cute!! They said they wanted to give me a stamp with my address on it as well but I move too much! I guess they're right!

Details-

Stamps- Elzybells

Ink-Colorbox chalk in brown, SU Lavender Lace

Paper- SU Rose Red and Regal Rose, White

Accessories-Marvy Scalloped punch, paper piercer, mat pack, Cuttlebug, May Arts ribbon and pop dots, Copics

Stamps- Name stamp by Three Designing Women, SU Stitched Background, SU Artfully Asian

Ink- Black

Paper- SU Wild Wasabi, Basic Black, White

Accessories- Marvy scalloped punch, ?May Arts ribbon

Word to the Wise

It is not a good idea to return from an international vacation, change jobs and move all within the same 9 day span. But I'm sure you would never do that because YOU'RE. SANE.

I'm using this weekend to get my head organized which I'm sure my co-workers are thankful as I've seen them give me looks tonight that suggest they are considering putting me on the other side of the locked doors.

Argentina

Your beautiful, green plains, your stunningly beautiful people, your dirty bathrooms, your amazing food, your refreshing local cerveza, your charming inefficiency, the unfailing warmth of your people, the beauty of your language... you have earned a place in my heart.

Saludas

Saludas de Southern Hemisphere! Jen and I arrived safely in Argentina. We are in the city of Mendoza right now which is in the foothills of the Andes. Tomorrow we head back to Buenos Aires.

So far, a great time is being had. Argentina is a beautiful country... the people are so friendly, the food is great and the sunshine even better!! Yesterday we took a bus up into the Andes to the Chilean border. So breathtaking, literally with altitude sickness!!

It´s very exciting to have all these Spanish words come back to me. Thank God I am with a fluent speaker but those high school and college Spanish classes are coming in handy!!

Hasta Luego!!

HURRY UP!!!!

Okay for some reason I haven't been super excited about the upcoming trip... but now it is less than a week away and I am GIDDY with excitement!! I just want it to hurry up and get here!!

I'm embarassingly excited about using my passport again and adding a continent to the list!! MUST.BREATHE...

Seven More Days...

This stamp is from one of my new sets, Time Well Spent. I didn't have a card in mind but was dying to color this image!! Not seeing any flowers like this right now... I walked 5 minutes to my car tonight and I was physically in pain due to the cold. 17 degrees!!! BUT 86 degrees in Buenos Aires where I will be in just seven days!!

I'm feeling guilty about this vacation, I'm not sure why. It's going to be relatively inexpensive vacation but it feels very extravagant!! I am considering making a job change to working in the schools full time... it would be a HUGE pay cut but it is work that I LOVE!! I'm really torn...

I forgot to take a picture of the Valentines that I made. I only send them to my nephews and niece so I didn't make many.

Dignity

Apparently, I have none because I am about to share two things... first I just beat my highest Tetris score... I just scored 43,605 points and 208 lines.

Second, there have been rumors that NKOTB are planning a reunion tour... and I fully plan on being there. But, this just in, my brother-in-law is friends with one of the New Kids brothers (to which I say, Mike, where were you 18 years ago... and then I say HOLY.CRAP, that was 18 years ago!!!)...anyway, my sister reported to me today that she was talking to the brother who said he could help me out and GET.ME.BACKSTAGE. After talking to my sister, I promptly called my friend, Bonnie, who was as excited as I was about the whole thing as she would be at the concert with me.

I was watching some NKOTB vidoes on Youtube and they sure look and sound different, if you know what I mean, to my more mature ears and eyes. But if I was standing in front of Jordan Knight... I would be transformed back into the big haired, braces wearing kid who will one day be Mrs. Jordan Knight... and that my friends is... the right stuff!

Oh Yeah

46,061 points... 204 lines.....

I Hate Rodents

But this little guy is kinda cute. This is from one of my new sets... starting to play around with them!!

I couldn't get good lighting tonight... the lighting in my room seems horrible. Though it could be my eyes... tonight I spent a good 2-3 minutes searching for my glasses until I found them... on my face. Wicked smart!!!

Details-

Paper-SU Bordering Blue, Regal Rose, Rose Red Palette of Prints, White

Stamps-SU Happy Heart Day

Accessories-SU watercolor pencils, blender pen, mat pack and piercer, ribbon (May Arts?)

Thanks for looking!!

What Price Health?

I have an appointment for next Friday. I am scheduled to be vaccinated for Hepatitis A and typhoid fever and also to get a prescription for anti-malaria pills in preparation for my vacation. I'm supposed to get a call on Monday with the cost... I am guessing it will cost me 1/3 of my plane ticket. I'm not complaining though.

Happy, Happy Day

Thanks to my Christmas gift cards, the combined efforts of me, my mom and my sister and our awesome demo Pam... I picked up an SU order today of SEVEN stamp sets, paper and a new punch! My mom and sister also got several stamp sets!! I can't wait til this weekend... stay tuned!!

Super Funny

This weekend it was recommended to me that I watch the movie Superbad. So juvenile, so innappropriate... and SO FUNNY!! It was American Pie with more clever writing. Also very quoatable.

Carmen asked if I had made up the paper color names on my last post... but I didn't! The majority of my cardstock is from Stampin' Up and those names are the SU names.

I had a great weekend! Although last night I went over some friend's house to watch the game (BTW, GO PATS woot woot!!!!!) and anyway I thought that chicken fingers and pizza would make a lovely combination... not so much. I wish I had some Prilosec right now.

At work now... it's nice and warm in here. How many days until May??

It's Saturday Night..

Well, it was Saturday night.... and this is my new addition to my attempt at organization. Stamp club today... my sister is joining me and my mom. I think she's hooked now too... eeeexxcceeelleent!

I Have What the Doctors Call....

One of the favorite parts of my day is crawling into my bed and watching re-runs of Frasier on Lifetime as I go to sleep. Sometimes I watch Golden Girls as well but hopefully I'm asleep by then. Anyway, imagine my horror when I discovered that at 12:30A it was not Frasier on tv but Lifetime's new show "How to Look Good Naked" with Carson Kressley. I decided to watch it... and it may be my new favorite show!! I love Carson Kressley...he was hilarious on "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" and is funny now though definitely is much more sensitive to the ladies than he was with the men.

Anyway, being a girl myself of ample and pear-like proportions, I certainly know the pain of feeling self-conscious about your body. I have spent years and years trying to work on my body image issues... I've made progress but it is still a major stumbling block for me. Anyway, watching these real women with real bodies learn to begin to overcome their doubts and believe in their hotness... it was inspiring to say the least! I didn't laugh as much as I do at Frasier but inspirational all the same!

Last week I bought a filing cabinet at IKEA. This weekend I'm going to put it together and store all my cardstock/paper. I am FIRED UP to get all my paper organized by color and organize all my scraps. I am a TOTAL.NERD... one more example! I have gotten up to level 10 in Tetris... I am playing on my phone. Before I get hit with a bill, I have to make sure I am not paying every time I fire up a game... I suspect I may have been which would be... not good.

The Best Gifts

Gift cards!! This year, instead of buying gifts for the whole family, the adults drew names out of a hat and bought gifts for one person. I had my mom.. all she wanted was a Stampin' Up gift certificate... can't get much easier than that!! My brother-in-law, Mike, had me and got me gift cards to Stampin' Up, AC Moore and Target!!!!

I already used my AC Moore gift card on Prismacolor pencils! I have been wanting these for a while... I can't find any gamsol in order to do blending, still on the lookout for that! I also got 2 Prismacolor markers which I love as well!!

Using Sketch Challenge 157, I made this thank you card for my brother-in-law, and my sister who threw in some extra SU money as a thank you for babysitting.

I just started reading the book Acts of Faith by Philip Caputo. It is a fictional account of relief workers in Sudan. It is certainly not a light read but excellent so far!! I hope you all had a great weekend! My weekend was lovely! Last night I went to a Pampered Chef/ Lia Sophia jewelry party... a random combination but it was alot of fun! I bought a $10 cake decorating set! I can't wait to get it! One of my mom's friends is a professional caterer/baker and she is going to teach me how to decorate cakes!! I love the Lia Sophia jewelry but I can't justify $80 on a ring!

It's supposed to be close to 60 degrees on Tuesday!! Hopefully we don't have to contend with this for a while!! This is a picture looking down my driveway toward my house. It's a beautiful setting but that driveway was the BANE.OF.MY.EXISTENCE during the month of December!! I saw two deer on the driveway yesterday and my roommates heard coyotes tonight... I love living in the woods!



Card Details-

Paper- AC Moore white base, SU Simply Scrappin' Winter kit

Stamps-SU Thankful Thoughts

Accessories- Brads, SU Markers, SU Wild Wasabi Ink

Shout Out

This is a shout out to the girls of Walton 302-303... I have found it!! TETRIS! I am rusty after a 10 year hiatus but I will rise again! The highest I got was level 5...take that, smurphy. My hand is a claw and I love it.

Yes I am a TOTAL.NERD... and I may have been a social work major in college but I minored in Tetris and rocked the house. FACT!

Happy 2008!

Happy New Year!!

I'm all set to say goodbye to 2007, esp the month of December! Sad news, snow storms, back pain and a pinched nerve, holidays and unexpected feelings of sadness... not a fun time and lead me feeling uninspired to blog.

But now it's a New Year... shiny, fresh and new.

I did create this month... I made a scrapbook for my mom that totally made her cry and was pretty sweet, if I can say so myself.

Expect details on the planning of vacation... we're in the air on February 17th!!

Finally, Maggie may you rest in peace. May your family find comfort and try to make sense of what has been lost and may the world recover from losing a truly wonderful person.