Continued Ramblings and Weekend

Good morning!  I realized after I blogged on Saturday, that I completely forgot to include the reason I put that whole story up here in the first place!  I wanted to share with you a goal.  However, a little back story, first.  

Lately, I have realized that I don't have anything to work for in my life.  Yes, I have a job where I make chocolate, and it is great, but it isn't life changing.  I don't have any kids (just fur-babies), so I don't have that to worry about yet.  I just do the same thing day in and day out, and it seems like nothing was changing.  I realized I needed something to work towards.  I gave it a great deal of thought, and decided to set some goals.  

My first goal: get on a scrapbook and/or stamp company design team!  I think that would be awesome!  I've only ever done a little DT work when I was at Magic Scraps.  It was fun, but it was also a chore.  (I hope that my DT goal won't turn into a chore.)  I hope it might open doors to all kinds of things I never thought possible!  Now, I just have to see who is calling for DT members, and to step up my scrapping/stamping game!!!   (Umm. . .does anyone know a great site for DT calls??)

Moving on.  My weekend.  Friday, hubby and I had some friends over for dinner and a swim!  Fun stuff!  Saturday, hubby worked, and I got to play!  I made a card for a baby shower (that we were supposed to go to Saturday night, but decided not to!)  Simple and fun:

 

(Supplies: Stamp-Technique Tuesday; cardstock and patterned paper- Paper Studio; trim and glitter glue from Hobby Lobby)

Next, I worked on my layout for the Studio Calico Blog's weekly challenge. This is the opening page for my Wedding Reception album!

 

(Supplies: cardstock and patterned paper- Paper Studio; letters- my designs; rub-ons: Making Memories; flowers- Prima and Recollections; jewels-Paper Studio; heart- Studio Calico)

That night, hubby decided to grill a leg of lamb and veggie packets.  We were swimming while the meat cooked, but a storm came through and that ended the swimming.  However, it was a wonderful time spent.  The lamb was delicious!  Wow!  I'm glad we have some left. . . Can you say GYROs??

 Sunday, we went to church in the morning.  Hubby had to meet someone for a little work-related estimate, so while he was gone, I vacuumed the pool.  Man, it was HOT!  Gotta Love Texas!  Once hubby got back, we debated about our dinner plans.  We eventually decided on. . . .

wait for it. . . . .

Bacon-wrapped Hot Dogs, Macaroni-and-Cheese, and grilled corn!  Horrible for it, but MAN. WAS. IT. GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nothing else exciting.  We swam again, and then watched some Larry the Cable Guy on Netflix!  Great relaxing weekend!  How was your weekend?

Sale and Ramblings!

Good morning all you early-Saturday-risers!  My hubby was up early to go to work, so I've already started a load of laundry, washed dishes from company last night, and am now blogging!  I really love getting things done!

Ok, first of all, I wanted to announce that I'm having a Christmas in July Sale in my Etsy store!  You get a whopping 25% off your purchases now through July 31!  How exciting is that??

 Just use the coupon code 'JULY25' to get your discount!  Feel free to order as often as you like in the next week and a half!  I just added tons of new ribbons!

In addition to these ribbons, there are several more along with my 7 colors of Baker's Twine!  Come see what I have and what you can't live without! :)

* * * Warning: Ramblings ahead! * * *

Ok, you have been warned. . . . .

Yes, it is time for the Random Ramblings!  Brought to you by Kristin and Katiebird Studio!  HAHAHA!!

Seriously, I've been doing some thinking this week.  For the last several years, I've mainly been a stamper.  I make cards or other paper creations, but I haven't really scrapbooked seriously in about 7 years!  I just stamped.

Well, about two months ago, I was looking into Project Life.  I liked the look of Project Life for a variety of different scrapbooking-type projects I wanted to complete: wedding reception, Disney World, etc.  I decided to try Project Life as a weekly documentation as well.  Well, I shot pictures all the time, but I never got them in an album.  However, in my research of PL on Pintrest, I stumbled upon this pin:

I was fascinated with her journal cards, and the fact that she stamped them all.  I thought that was a fabulous way to create the journal cards for PL since I really couldn't afford a real PL kit!  I LOVED her stamps, and on her blog I found she had listed all of the stamps (with links) that she used.  She had a great deal of stamps from a company called Studio Calico.  Ironically, I had only once heard of this company because they along with Hero Arts made a stamp I was trying to find for card making! I decided to investigate their site.

I was amazed!  I was drawn in like a moth to a flame!  What amazing products!  Oh, I was hooked.  I next discovered their Community and blog which had weekly challenges for scrapbooking.  I immediately signed up to receive their feed emails!  I lurked for a while, but one post caught my eye.

The whole post was about this mini album their guest designer (Nina Ostermann) created.  I was so amazed and so inspired!  This weekly challenge completed on June 25th.  I thought about the challenge all week.  Finally, that Monday, at work, I decided I was going to do it!   I came straight home from work, and started.  I spent about 4-5 hours creating a mini album for the weekly challenge.  I shot pictures with my phone and uploaded it on from my phone (I love technology!). Then I waited.  All I had to do was participate to have a chance of winning a small gift card to Studio Calico!  The winner was announced Thursday, I believe.  I realized then that I was supposed to link my creation to the blog post for a chance to win!  DUH!  Ok, I was frustrated, but I knew what to do next time!  When the next challenge came out, I tried again to join the fun.

As the weeks have progressed, I find myself slipping back into the scrapbooking world, and I'm loving it.  This past week was CHA- the semi-annual (I think) show for paper crafting companies to show their newest lines!  I was all over the SC community boards as well as the internet looking for all the fun new items!  I found myself feeling the same as I had about 9 years ago when I worked for Magic Scraps and was able to attend CHA then (which had a different name, I can't remember!)  I was blown away then by the energy and neat projects available then.  I recalled the companies I was fond of then: KI Memories, Die Cuts with a View, SEI, American Crafts, etc.  I started looking up all those companies to see if they still existed and what their new lines were.  I also found a slew of new companies that have been created since I stopped scrapbooking.  I feel like I've found an old friend and a new hobby all at the same time!  It is great!

My style has changed, but also remains similar!  I'm so excited to be a part of the scrapbooking world again, but, rest assured, I WILL NOT be leaving the stamping world.  I will just make them all work together!

This post has made me so excited!  I forgot how incredible scrapbooking/stamping can make you feel and the high it can give you.  Sure, go ahead, call me crazy, but that's fine!  I know it, and anyone who truly knows me, knows it, too!

I'm off to 'play' now!

New card and weekly challenge

Good morning.  I just wanted to post a card I made last week for the Chocolate shop I work at.  My boss sold the card before I even made it- gotta love that! :)  He had a phone order, and they wanted a card to go along with the gift. Here it is:

I took the picture later in the evening and with my phone, so it isn't great, but I was proud of the card!

The weekly challenge is up on the Studio Calico Blog!  I have a layout from 5 years ago that I think I may put up for the challenge.  What do you think?

It can't hurt to put it in, right?  I might try to get another layout made- for my wedding book. . .wouldn't my husband be happy (he has been after me to finish our book for years!  Tee hee!)

I guess that's it for now.  I will try to post more often!

Weekly Challenge

I got my layout done for the Studio Calico weekly challenge today!

I really had a blast doing this.  I tried all kinds of new things.  Never in the past would I have combined so many patterned papers on one layout.  Neither would I cover up the patters as much as I did, but I've been inspired by the girls over at Studio Calico! They do so many things on a single page, and it doesn't overwhelm the page.  It is fun!

Oh, I also learned if you have something in your head, and no one makes the paper you want, make it yourself!  The Yellow Chevron paper was something I wanted, but I couldn't find what I was looking for.  I searched online, and I found a small chevron pattern image online.  I placed it over and over again on a blank image.  Then I printed that image out as a 5x7 picture.  It is pretty neat to be able to add something to a page that is in your mind but not out in stores.

On other news, I went to IKEA today!  I LOVE IKEA.  It is an organizers dream come true!!!  I went with a purpose- to obtain this.

I have been overhauling my art room since my hubby got me a set of map drawers to use as storage.  This little baby will hold my albums, I hope.  It is assembled, but I haven't filled it yet.  It is still exciting.  I bought several other items at IKEA to spruce up my art room.  (Photos will follow the completion of the overhaul!)  I'm excited to get my art room finished!!

Until next time! :)

BRAVE

WOW!  I went to see Brave last night!  What an amazing film!  I LOVED it!  EVERYONE. MUST. SEE. THIS. MOVIE!  It is incredible!  I think Merida has become my second-favorite Disney princess- only second to Belle who will never be beat out!  I loved this movie and MUST have a copy once it is available!   I just wanted to share that!  Have a great day everyone!

SC Weekly challenge

Hi!  I just wanted to give you a quick update.  This is a layout I did for the Studio Calico Blog challenge.  I created it for the Circle Challenge.  I just wanted to post this quickly before I head off to work.  Take some time to explore the SC blog; it is pretty awesome!!!!!

A New Beginning

Good Morning Blog Fans!  This is my new blog.  You can read my old blog here.  I was a bad blogger, but I am going to change that! :)  I hope this new blog will be a place to put up things I love along with things I create!  Come visit often!