Back from Blog-cation

Wow! Has it really been almost 3 weeks since I've been here??! We've been on vacation, had a "doctor's appointment" week and just haven't had that lovin' feeling for scrappin' and cards since we got home 10 days ago.. but my craft room's calling and after a day-long crop last Saturday and with an NSD crop at Traci's great store, Scrapbooks & Etc. this Friday and Saturday, I'm ready to go.

So spring has sprung in the yard in about a week's time in early April with pollen everywhere but gorgeous trees! And a stop in Savannah to see my niece and her two ardorable daughters was fun and pure "eye candy." What a lovely old city!!

Blue and brown = guy cards!

A neighbor who has had so many family members deployed in the past 8 years and who knows of OWH mentioned that his unit never got anniversary and birthday cards for women to send home to husbands... so that is my mission for May. Lovely anniversary cards that aren't too frilly and feminine.

This color challenge was perfect for my "guy card" mentality ... brown and blue and a card for "any reason" in colors that are appropriate for guy cards... to cousins, brothers, sons who are grown. Easy and great for using up scraps..

Turnin' up the heat for challenge #11

Okay this isn't the card I might have done for OWH but since I needed a card for my niece Reagan's 6th birthday and she loves pink, purple and cupcakes, I just adapted this week's sketch. Used a DCWV scalloped notecard (2 of them actually) held together with a glittery brad, embossed some white cardstock with my Cuttlebug dotted swiss folder and then heat embossed the cupcake and centers for the purple silk flowers.... Happy Birthday, Reagan :) And, I think I will emboss some more cupcakes after vacation to use for birthday cards for OWH! Best things is these are non-fattening kind of course ;)

Busy, busy, busy...

So the closet's now a scrapbook storage room and now I'm in knee deep in trying to organize photos taken since we got married 4 years ago and being sure that all of them are on the PC and backed up.. Thanks, Walgreens, for all the photo offers! I must have printed 300 at least and more still to do. Even better it's cruising time in 6 days...5 days of no dishes to clean up, no beds to make and a guaranteed good time wasting away in Margaritaville where it's always 5:00 somewhere but it won't be there.

This week's sketch challenge is "perfect" for my new Stampin' Up stamps and one that is so adaptable.. thanks, Caryl, for a great sketch!

Sketch challenge #9 and furry friends=two for the work of one!

Busy week turning former bedroom closet into craft room storage closet (yeah!!!) so decided to cheat a bit and combine the sketch and midweek challenges into one card featuring everyone's favorite beagle hurrying to deliver a love letter. Used my new Texture Boutique to emboss some green cardstock with Cuttlebug "distressed stripes" in about 15 seconds!

Love is fickle (and sometimes cheap.....)

So, I admit it = I'm in love with my Coach bags. But I never pay full price for them and shame on my husband for stopping at outlet malls where they have a store. And pooh on them for opening an outlet at Concord Mills and giving out those additional 30% off sale price coupons in Gaffney... don't they know I'm retired now???? They should know better..... BUT BUT I think I may be getting fickle in my "older" (not "old") age! Am I ever in love with this little Sizzix Texture Boutique handbag that I got last week for $19.99! Move over "Coach" - you've been replaced by an even better bargain. I do have a Big Shot (too big to lug around and a pain to get off the top closet shelf to emboss a few cards) but this embosser is my new best crafty friend. It doesn't multitask but it embosses Sizzix and Cuttlebug embossing folders equally well and I had so much fun playing with it and the 6 Cuttlebug folders I got for $2.00 each!! :::thinking I saved so much I might go back and get that Coach wallet........ nah!::