A Lazy Day!!

Oh gosh, how much lazier can you get?  

I decided to take a mental health break, today and have done absolutely NOTHING except clean off my desk, delete some files on my computer, update some address entries in my e-mail address book......and chat with a few people on the phone.  

Now I am going to go read till dinner!

See you tomorrow!!!

Weekend and Garage Sale treasures

I got home Thursday afternoon, from my Funshop and errands, just before my company arrived, friends we have known for about 30 years. They live in eastern Oregon and came over to go to a sale up in Sisters, OR and to spend a couple of nights visiting us.

On Friday, they went to the sale and hubby went to work while I stayed home and caught up with the housework, laundry and got the Beef Stroganoff going for dinner. Friday night, after dinner, we played Sequence (a fun game) and had ice cream and strawberries for dessert.

Then we watched the movie, "The Kite Runner". It was good but we had to read sub titles off and on.

Saturday, we got up early and went to a garage sale. I was excited to get 11 books for .10¢ each. I normally never find the authors I like to read but she had a bunch of them. I also got 6 pant hangers (with the hanging part that lifts up and out) for $4. They are really nice chrome and black. I decided to use them to store my ribbons rather than the boxes I had them in. You can see where the bar lifts up and out from the right side for adding the ribbons easily.

They will hang in the craft closet when I am not using them and when I DO need to have them out, I can hang them above my stamping desk. And, when I am finished, put them back in the closet out of the way.

I also got an adorable rack, but not sure what I am going to do with it. Any suggestions? But, for a mere $2, I couldn't pass it up ;-) The little dowels are not removable or I could probably think of ways to use this in my craft room, too.
My biggest find was a set of two Stanley Thermos'. My hubby has been looking for a stopper for his, the old kind, and never could find one. Both of these had the old kind of stopper in them, and they came with a cool carrying case with a handle and a little metal box to put in cookies, sugar and stuff like that. So now we have plenty of thermos' for future use. We'll probably take these on road trips with us.

Another fun find was two bowls with the Coke Polar Bear photo. The granddaughters will love
them.
And, last but not least, I found a storage container to take dog food with us in the camper for .05¢. How cool is that? Ya just gotta love a bargain!!!

Then, to top off the weekend, my Sister called to tell me she had been cleaning closets and cupboards and she had 3 boxes of stuff that I could use or put in a garage sale. Our town has a yearly community wide garage sale in June, so I try to take part each year.

In the boxes were a lot of things I could make use of.....lots of Doilies, dinner napkins and place mats plus some really cool batten burg lace curtains that will probably match the ones in my master bathroom.

What a fun weekend to end the week!!

Did I say I love bargains???

Char

What a week!!!

Wow, what a full week!!!! It started off, last Saturday, with a Funshop at my home. The hostess had a really busy week and so I offered to have it at my house to help her out. Actually, it's easier for me at my own home because I can run back to the stamp room if I need something ;-)

We did two projects, one being a 3x3 card holder with a 3x3 card and the other being a bookmark.. I got the idea for the 3x3 holder from Scor-Pal We did a little card to match using the Swirl GWP and Landscape Palette. They got to use the Scor-pal to make their box.
We used Mia's Cottage paper and the Swirl GWP.



Look familiar? I have gotten a lot of mileage out of this old girl. Everyone just loved her and who doesn't need another bookmark?

Then, at Tuesday's Funshop we did these two projects! Plus we made envelopes out of napkins and freezer paper and a card using napkins and saran wrap. Sorry, I didn't get photos of those.
They had a blast! Most of the ladies at this Funshop are golfers, so we made little post it note holders so that they could put them on their golf bag or key chain or whatever. Thanks to Kim Sears for the idea!


Finally, on Thursday, I had a Funshop in Bend. We made a 3x3 card holder and cards and used "Simply Divine" and different colors. We also made the cow bookmark.

It was a fun week!!! I am looking forward to this week to catch up around the house ;-)

An Udder Cow

I seem to have taken a long holiday ;-) Not really, it's just been crazy here! But, a FUN crazy!
While getting ready for a few FUNshops this coming week, I took a break and made a card using "An Udder Birthday". This set is just too cute! I keep going back to this set just because it makes me smile!
ThenI had to concentrate on the projects for last Saturday. We made a 3x3 card holder using Mia's Cottage designer paper, Sparkle, White and blue 3 Match Maker cardstock.

Included were a couple of note cards. The directions for these boxes and the note cards can be found at www.Scor-Pal.com

You will find a lot of fun ideas, there, for using your Scor-Pal. If you don't have one yet....you NEED one!!! :-) You know you can always get one for half off just for having a TAC Funshop or $100 order.

Another project we made were the cow bookmarks I shared earlier. Everyone can use a bookmark. I let them use the Crop A Dile (even though most of them had one, they were intimidated by them and one gal said she hadn't even taken it out of the package) to show them how easy it really is to use!

A couple of weeks ago, I had a FUNshop with my group of stamping golfers, so we made golf tee holders. The directions for these can also be found on the Scor-Pal website.

Have a great day stamping!!!

Sisterhood of the Blogging Stampers-16

I just joined the Sisterhood of the Blogging Stampers (SBS - 16).  It's official!!!  This is going to be so much fun!!!  I love visiting other blogs for inspiration.  I am in awe of the talent out there!

I just wanted to take a moment and introduce myself to my fellow Blogging Sisters.  My name is Char and I live in central Oregon.  I am a wife to David,  Mom to two grown Sons (Gene and Jim), Grandma to three teenage Granddaughters.

I was first introduced to stamping in 1996 when I had a D.O.T.S. (now CTMH) party.  I thought it looked like fun, but soon lost interest as the demonstrator lived 5 hours away and no one in my area stamped at the time.  I didn't know what to do with the things I purchased.  THEN I attended another party, where the demonstrator had us actually make some cards and I was hooked.  Then, in 1999, I signed up with The Angel Company (TAC).   

My hubby and I are owned by an Australian Shepherd, Annie, who jut turned 4 and four cats...Little Guy 12, Briley 12, Freckles 12 and Tinker Bell 9.

I love to stamp and do paper crafting,  read, crochet, knit, travel, garden and spend time on the computer.  Oh and of course, chat on the phone or visit with my friends.

It's going to be fun getting to know all of you!!



Char

Black and White Swap

Yesterday, time was well spent cleaning and re organizing my stamp room.  It is still nowhere near where I wish it were, but at least I can get to the stamp table, now.   I promised myself that at 4pm, whether or not I was done, I would make a card for a Black and White swap I am in.   I also challenged myself to use papers from my scrap piles....which I now have under my desk so that they are easier to get to.  Oh my gosh, I have three Sterilite boxes full of scraps.  (I am not mentioning the huge tote out in the garage full of scraps....no won't mention that)

Anyway, here is what I came up with.  The card/background was already done (who knows how long it's been in there) and all I needed to do was just add a stamped image and embellishments.

I placed my scraps under my desk as a reminder to USE them.   When they are stuck away in a closet, I forget about them.  I am also thinking about making one day a week as SCRAP day.  I will ONLY make cards using the scraps from those boxes.   

Do you make use of your scraps?  Or do you just toss them?  Do you have a Scrap day set aside?  Inquiring minds wanna know ;-)

Have a great day!!!

P.S. If anyone can tell me HOW to remove that dang box around my signature, I would be forever grateful!!

Char

More to share

I am cleaning and reorganizing my stamp room, yet again!  I thought I would take time to share a card before I get fully involved in the process of cleaning and organizing.  Does it ever end?


This card was made using the "Simply Divine" set from TAC. Of course, I had to use my Cuttlebug embossing folder for the card.  I didn't have matching ribbon
so I just dyed my white organza ribbon to match, using the same ink I used to stamp my flowers!  

Ok, back to my stamp room!  Hopefully, I'll see some true progress after today ;-)

Limited Editions are BACK!!!

I am so excited!!!  TAC has decided to bring back the "Limited Edition" sets.  Customers can get these stamps for just $2.95 with a $30 purchase.
And, not only that....as a hostess, you will get one for every $100 in orders at your party!  As if CELEBRATION wasn't enough, TAC has now added these cute little stamps!   
Remember, CELEBRATION ends on April 30th.  Don't miss out on getting DOUBLE the hostess benefits and DOUBLE the half off items just for hosting a party!  Heck, you can even gather up orders and if it's over $100, that constitutes a party.  Order your own $100, yep...that counts as a party!

Did I say I love The Angel Company??

Another card to share!

Here is another card that I made during my Sister's visit. I love running my card fronts through my Big Shot, using a Cuttlebug embossing folder.  It just adds such a pretty touch.
With this card, I not only ran my card through the Big Shot, I then ran the layer through, as well.  Then, I used my Dove Blender to pick up color from a Palette ink pad and highlighted the flower and leaves.  And, then added a yellow brad to the center of the flower.

The ribbon, I picked up at Stampin Cat studio in Salem.  TAC carries the purple, but that didn't happen to match this particular card.  When I was in Salem,  I picked up several colors of this ribbon.  It's just sheer and pretty.  If you are in the Salem, OR area, stop by her store and tell her Char sent ya!

And, I am so excited!!!  TAC has brought back the Limited Edition sets.  I'll share in another post!

Day with Sis

My older Sis and I had two fun days together.  She came out to visit on Monday afternoon and we spent that first day just relaxing, reading, watching TV and visiting.   

On Tuesday and Wednesday, we stamped. I got about 12 cards finished so I will have a variety to share over the next week or so.  She got a lot made to add to her stash, as well.

Here is one of the cards that I did using one of the images from the April Stamp of the Month called "FriendlyGreetings", Toodle Loo Soar with it Collection cardstock and SWIC tags and 
Blue 2 Colored Cardstock.
 
                                                        
                                                                                                

This is a such a fun set!!  I have also made cards using the other images, too, but will share those later.  I think this SOTM will sell like crazy!

Have a great day!

April Fool's...NOT

Oh if you only knew how much I love this day. It is one of my most favorite days of the year. APRIL FOOL'S DAY! I am a practical joker and love to play jokes on people.....but today is different. I am not playing a joke! No I wouldn't do that with stamps, of all things.

In case you are just joining in, I decided to have a drawing for a stamp set for making it one year at blogging. I gave my Sister, who is visiting, the honor of drawing the winner! She drew number 2 whose name is CATHY! I will e-mail Cathy and let her know she won...just in case she doesn't see this right away.

Thank you to all of you that took part in my drawing. It was so much fun that I have decided to do it more often! So, keep checking, you just never know when.

Now, we are off to stamp and I will share later.

Congratulations, Cathy!!

Sister Day

Actually, we'll call it Sister Days....as my Sister is coming out to spend a couple of days with me. We'll spend the day stamping, yakking and just hanging out together.

My older Sister, Kay, wants to get a stash of cards stamped up for "all occasion cards" and I do too, so this is a great way to get it done and share ideas at the same time.

I need to get a book finished before I head to the library for another stash! Kay is also bringing me out the ones she just finished. We have a deal. She buys them or gets them from a friend, reads them, brings them to me to read and then I post them on PaperbackSwap. When someone gets that book from me, then I find a book or two and order that and then the process starts all over again.

Yesterday, DH and I watched Robinson Crusoe with Pierce Brosnan and also Second Hand Lions. Both good shows. We get our movies from Netflix and it's nice because we usually watch them on the weekends, send them back and then have a couple more for the next weekend. I really like it because you don't have to go to a video store to get them or take them back, you just put them in the mail when you are finished. And, no late fees!

I'll post some photos, later, of what we came up with. ;-)

Have a great day!!!!

You Are a Snapdragon

You Are a Snapdragon

"Mischief is your middle name, but your first is friend. You are quite the prankster that loves to make other people laugh."

Boy, if this doesn't nail it on the head, I don't know what does ;-) What kind of flower are YOU?

http://www.thisgardenisillegal.com/flower-quiz

Pico and "You Make My Day" Award

I got online this morning and had a message from my 'lil buddy' Rita Holmes to check out her blog. I was so surprised that she nominated me for the Pico award. It made my day! Thanks Rita!! I am so happy to have a 'partner in crime' so to speak. You never cease to make me smile and laugh. And, you KNOW how much I love to laugh!

There are 5 rules attached to this and they are:

1) You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also contributes to the blogging community, no matter what language.

2) Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.

3) Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.

4) Award-winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of "Arte y Pico" blog , so everyone will know the origin of this award. http://arteypico.blogspot.com/

5) To show these rules.

These are the 5 blogs that I chose. Believe me, this was too dang HARD as I visit lots and lots of blogs over the course of a week and I get inspiration from each and every one that I visit.

What is funny is that some of these gals don't even know I visit their blogs. I need to leave comments more often! :-)

1. Candi Derenfield I love her smile!! And, she stamps and shares, too!!

2. Trudy Osborn I have visited her blog many, many, many times.

3. Melissa Bendabout What a sweetheart! Check out her blog.

4. Jamie Dennett I love going here for Christian inspiration. She is also an online friend of mine and I just think she's awesome!

5. Annette Brisse Just a fantastic Angel I am so privileged to know!

Whew....like I said, that was just too dang hard. There are SO many amazing gals out there.

Have a wonderful day,

Custom Car Show

We have decided to take turns planning a fun outing every month. We take turns. This was his month. The outing has to be something enjoyable for both of us. That way, I am not taken fishing every other month and he isn't having to stand around at a scrapbook store
Not that either of us would even DREAM of doing that. ;-)

So, since March was his month, he took me to a Custom Car Show. And, YES, I did enjoy it. I loved seeing all the beautiful cars and all the hard work that went into creating these beauties.

I was a little miffed that there wasn't a '57 Chevy in the mix anywhere, but they had a '54, '55 and '56 so it was ok.
There were cars there that I have never seen before, except in photos. It was fantastic to see them and try and visualize what that car was involved in...during it's era ;-)


My hubby has a '73 Ranchero that he is refurbishing and he ran across a booth that only sells parts for that make of car and a couple of others. He was in 7th Heaven. He got a catalog and couldn't wait to get home to start looking. I was equally as happy for him cause now he can get busy fixing up his car. Who knows, maybe a few years from now, he'll enter it.
Next month is my turn, so I am thinking, thinking, thinking!!!  Then, he has May already planned, a trip to the coast!   I have the end of May (which will probably be my 'June', since they are really busy at work during the summer months and we have our grand kids) and I have a camping trip planned.

Do you do special dates with your hubby?  We have found it sure helps to break up the day to day activities and gives us something to plan for.  It doesn't have to be something HUGE, like a trip or cruise or something...check your local newspaper and events center to see some of the free or low cost events you can take part in.  

And, hey, who knows, I may even take up fishing this year ;-)

What fun!

The FUNshop was FUN FUN FUN! We did a cute golf tee holder using TAC's "FORE" golf set and one of the papers from TAC's "Sands of Time" Soar with it Collection.  Since the majority of the stampers were also golfers, they loved this idea.

I got the idea from Scor Pal's website.  Thanks to Rita Kegg for this idea!  

I let them choose which image they wanted to use from the set.  It was watching them all make them different.  They have decided this would be a fun project for one of their luncheons.The next card we did was really simple using "Every day Events" from the TAC catalog and TAC MM cardstcok.  This card actually came about because I was trying to come up with another idea and just couldn't seem to get it to 'come' together.  I had all these punched out shapes and while I was standing there .....I started laying out the punched shapes and came up with a simple card.  Who would have thunk???  Sometimes, simple is best ;-)

Remember, just a few more days till I draw a winner for the TAC set, mentioned a few days earlier.  Remember to leave a comment on that post to be entered in the drawing.

Have a Great day!