Lookey what I got **enabler alert**

I NEVER check my junk emails but something made me check it today and I found a very important sale notice. This puppy is on sale right now at Hancock Fabrics for $49. WHOOO HOOOOOO I've been wanting one of these for SO LONG. The last time it went on sale just happened to be the same exact weekend that my hubby and I decided to go on a strict 30-day trial budget. It was torture, utter torture! The very weekend we go on this "budget", the Michaels coupons started being valid for Martha items, the Janome Sew Mini goes on sale AND Macy's had a 50% off all womens fall attire sale. TORTURE!!!!!! Anyway, that trial budget is over and this little baby is mine all mine!!!

Granted, I don't even have time to thread the bobbin until I get back from Lake Tahoe (crud, I still have to pack) but once I get this baby up and running, I'll start creating and posting. Alright, off to pack and then away I go.......

Supah Scary!

Aren't these guys "supah scary"?? That's what my nephew says when he sees Halloween decorations...it cracks me up. I used the layout from Taylor VanBruggen and changed up just a few things. All the halloween ribbon was on sale last week at Michaels!! WHOO HOOO, love a ribbon sale. I used the Polka Dot BG stamp from Stampin Up!, Booglie Eyes for the Monsters and then the "Boo to You" is from the $1 bin at JoAnn's. Cardstock colors are Lovely Lilac, Green Galore & Pumpkin Pie.

I'm leaving tonight for Lake Tahoe, going up with my in-laws for the weekend to their cabin. Apparently we're all going on a bike ride....now I haven't been on a bike in 20 years so this should be interesting. I did "get" on a bike about 3 years ago, once I was on it I rode right down the driveway and straight into a parked car. Yup....I got off the bike, put it back in the garage and went back up to my craft room where I belong. So wish me luck....if you don't hear from me by Monday then please send "get well" cards to the local hospital in Tahoe. ;)

How sweet it is...

I've been meaning to show off this fabulous new set I got in my Paper Pretties Box. It's called How Sweet It Is and is the featured MFT Set for September. After I made this card I obviously was in the mood to bake so I made a yummy batch of Oatmeal cookies....Mmmmmm. The paper in this kit is very versatile and I love that you can create cards for all sorts of occasions with it.

Take a peek at the paper in the background of the photo, that came in my kit as well and I can't wait to play with it! So many fun things you can do with all the supplies in these premium kits, you get multiple sheets of patterned cardstock, regular cardstock, brads, ribbon, prima flowers, and the options are just endless...LOVE IT! Be sure to go check out the Corner Store, Christie has been adding new items daily AND the sales are fabulous!!! Whether you're a subscriber or not, you can get in on some really great deals on paper, ribbon, punches and so much more!!!

(card by Christie Ortman)

Don't forget that time is running out for the Think Pink promotion over at Paper Pretties. This is such a great cause and I'm thrilled that Paper Pretties is making a difference in our community by giving back. This would also be a great gift for anyone....we are ALL affected by this disease and each of us can make a difference, but time is running out so be sure to get over there soon and order. Also, from now until midnight on October 6, 2007, if you purchase the Think Pink Limited Edition Package and become a subscriber to either the Premium or Petite card package, they will waive your one-time membership fee!!! (that's a few lattes ladies!!) Be sure to mention in your membership agreement that you purchased a Think Pink Package. Become a subscriber now. Simply ignore the step that asks you to pay a membership fee.

A STAMPING CRUISE?!?!?!?

So I check my email this morning and of course my mailbox is full of my fabulous DT sistahs chatting back and forth about this big news. Next thing I know my phone is ringing and it's Christie asking if I had read it....so I opened it up and there it was.

http://www.stampandcruise.typepad.com/

"OMG I'M TOTALLY GOING!!!!"...I think Christie started laughing AT me, matter of fact I'm sure of it. ;) But that's how I react to these things. So, I booked! If anyone else signs up to go let me know, I would love to get our dining tables together and also plan crops & stamp events together!!! HOW FUN!!!! I'm so excited because I've been on one cruise and it was with Royal Caribbean and the food was FANTASTIC and all I heard from other passengers was how horrible the other cruise lines were compared to the Royal Caribbean cruise line. So I've vowed to only go on lines that I've heard GOOD things about (Princess, Celebrity & Royal Caribbean). And they are doing this with Royal Caribbean!!! YIPPEEEE!! So if you're going, drop me a note.....I want to meet you all!!!

Cheers!!!

I got my Sept Bella box from Paper Pretties and I have to admit to you that at first I said to myself "What am I going to do with Pom Pom bella??" Mainly because I don't have kids so I assumed this bella would be collecting dust for a while. I WAS SO WRONG!!!

I LOVE HER!!!! First, she is SO great to color....you can use her for the guy in your life during football season and make her cheer outfit in his favorite team colors....you can use it for a Congrats, Birthday, Celebrate, Get Well or just about anything!!! You could even give it to someone for a Wedding since there is a matching phrase that says "You Did it!". LOL I had so much fun playing with her last night....maybe it's because these little gals are like Barbies for adults (much easier to store however). I enjoyed using this layout from Barb Guinan, the winner of the weekly SIYJ card challenge (congrats Barb!) I used my supplies from my PP box, added a little doodle and tah dah!!! Not sure if you can see the glittah in her pom-poms (I mean that literally, not figuratively) but it really makes her sparkle and my hubby even said "She's kinda cute....too bad she's a stamp" ;) HAHAHAHAH TOO FUNNY!!!

I was tagged....

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car) Heidi Civic
2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fav ice cream flavor, favorite cookie) Vanilla Toffee Crisp
3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name) J Win
4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal) Turquoise Hedgehog
5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born) Kristen Carmichael
6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first) Winji
7. SUPERHERO NAME: (2nd favorite color, favorite drink put “The”) Pink The Squirt
8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers) Douglas Claud
9. STRIPPER NAME: ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne, favorite candy) Divine Jelly Belly
10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names ) Kay Lee

Ok that was quite amusing, some of them could actually fit!!! I think Pink The Squirt made me giggle the most...how appropriate is that?!?!?!

I need Halloween sets....seriously

I cased this from Beate and changed just a few things around and obviously used different DP. But isn't it just adorable?!?!?! I love her work, so I copied it! LOL Short post today, just wanted to let you all know I'm sorry for all the Xmas cards but I just don't have much Halloween stuff...I'll get some. Gives me a reason to go shopping. LOL

RAK Day!!!

So I came home to find a large stack of mail, an extremely heavy SU box and a dead plant. 2 out of 3 ain't bad, right? My hubby is out of town on business for the week so I decided to blow up the house and get rid of what I don't use anymore. I completely gutted my craft room and have filled 3 large storage containers full of "craft garage sale" items. So this Saturday I will be hosting a Stamp/Craft Garage Sale at my house and the world has been invited. LOL I have so many stamp sets, current and retired....new and used...I have ribbon, punches, cutters, candles, containers, cards, craft magazines, paper organizers, tools and so much that I just haven't touched in years so it's GOING! Amongst the patterns I was sorting through, I found a $265 check from my old apt complex from 2002!!!! How could I have NOT cashed that?!?! So I'm going by there today to see if they will cut me a new one...I doubt it but it doesn't hurt to try. Ok so that was the beginning of my night....here is the good stuff. I sorted through my mail and found not 1, but 4 gorgeous cards!!!! All just for me. ;) Here they all are...

This one is from Kristine (by PPDT sistah) I love the DP on it, she always finds the cutest papers!!!!

This is from Julie Masse (another PPDT sistah) and contained some fabulous images for me to play with (sorry, can't show ya just yet) ;) I just love how simple yet TOTALLY adorable this card is. I've been dying to get my hands on that Faux Ribbon set over at Papertreyink and now I think I've been sold on it. Oh and Jules, I MUST have that ribbon!!! :)

This is from Julie Campbell (another PPDT sistah) and I was her DT Sistah this week for the weekly PPDT challenge which was dry embossing....she didn't have a brass stencil or even a light box so she created her own template using a flower die cut and chipboard!!! Isn't that fabulous!?!?! She's so clever!

Lastly, this arrived from an unknown address.....and when I opened it up I was just in awe. This is a RAK from Kandi Kwirant from the Paper Pretties Yahoo group and she just wanted to wish me a big "congrats" for making the PP Design Team. Isn't that sweet?!?!!

So needless to say, I had a FANTASTIC Monday....my house is a mess, my craft room is in shambles, I need to finish baking & wrapping 400 cookies and 400 cupcakes by tonight and then clean EVERYTHING up before the hubby returns on Thursday night. Yea....miracles can happen right? ;)

Breast Cancer Awareness - Think Pink

There are many reasons I'm posting about this today....and oddly, stamping can make a difference. I was listening to my daily radio show on my way to work last week and one of the dj's opened up about his wife's recent diagnosis of breast cancer and the battle they have been quietly fighting. The reason they decided to talk "on the air" about it was to make people more aware....more aware that it is NOT always detected on the mammograms. She felt a lump one day in the shower and she mentioned it to her doctor during her yearly exam and they responded saying "well, nothing showed up on your mammogram". They had to do a CAT scan on her since her mammogram showed nothing and sure enough....stage 1 breast cancer. She saved her own life by just taking 2 minutes in the shower once a week and doing her self exams.

We are all affected by breast cancer. Whether it is a family member, a friend, a co-worker of even ourselves, we are not strangers to this disease that has claimed so many lives. My Favorite Things in cooperation with Paper Pretties are very very excited to announce My Favorite Things' Minis on a Mission Think Pink Limited Edition Paper Pretties' Package. $5.00 from the sale of each Paper Pretties Think Pink Limited Edition Package will be donated to support Breast Cancer Initiatives.
The box is $45.95 plus shipping and handling. (Please note that the picture shown is not representative of the box you will receive it is only an example of the items it may contain.)

At the top is a sample card made by Kim from MFT featuring one of the great woman to woman images from this fantastic set. For more information about this fantastic Think Pink promotion, visit http://www.paperpretties.net/ and be sure to enter "Think Pink" in the comments section when you checkout. And ladies, please take two minutes out of your day to save your own life. http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/.

World Card Making Swap

National Card Making day is October 6th and since card making is all about using your Time, Talent and Thoughtfulness to bless others, Paper Pretties is holding a 3T swap. This is how it works. You send in 5 cards WITH ENVELOPES and you receive 1 card back made by the Paper Pretties design team. (Hey, I'm one of them so it might be from me!!!) The 5 cards you send in will be donated to the Indianapolis Ronald MacDonald House.

The cards must be postdated by the 6th of October and the swap is limited to 25 participants, so register asap! As an added bonus, when you participate you will get a gift certificate for the Paper Pretties store for 25% off of 1 item of your choice. You don't have to be a Paper Paper Pretties member to participate but if you are, your discount will be 35% off because the member's only store is already discounted 10%!

The cards should be holiday/winter/Christmas themed.

To register you can email Julie Campbell at julie_stamps@hotmail.com.

Brrrrrr

What is with this weather?!?!?! 104 two days ago and now it's 65?? Would someone make up their mind so I can stop running back and forth between my closet and my packed clothing?!?! Sheesh! ;)

So I had to get up at 5am this morning *yawn* to help decorate for the United Way kickoff for my work. I blew up over 100 balloons and I must say that the assembly area looks fantastic. (enter applause here).....and with that I give you another xmas creation. Sorry, can't help it....by the time it gets here I'll be Xmas carded out but for right now, I can't stop!!!!!

This looks much more "dazzling" in real life as I used Shimmery White cardstock for the card base. The focal image was made by stamping the large rectangle from the retired large shapes set in Bordering Blue (2nd generation) and then I punched a snowflake out of scrap cardstock (sorry, the punch is retired but it's still my FAV snowflake punch) and used the reverse mask to sponge some snowflakes onto the rectangle using Bordering Blue ink. Next I stamped the phrase "peace, joy, love" in Night of Navy in the center and cut out the rectangle leaving a slight border around it. The layers used are Bordering Blue and Night of Navy cardstock, I also heated the ribbon for just a few seconds with my embossing gun to make it wrinkle up a bit. On the silver cord I attached multiple Vellum snowflakes, just to add a little snow to the card.

Did everyone know that today is National Cheese Pizza Day? Yea, well apparently it is. I'm tellin ya there is a holiday for just about everything nowadays. LOL

Hot, Hot, Hot

Now I bet you were thinking "oh, this is gonna be good....something hot to read about and look at". Well, I will tell you that I have some hot stuff to look at but mainly I was complaining about the darn HEAT! Will it just STOP already!?!?!?!

Ok, that being said here is another adorable card using the new (just released today actually) MFT Shower Time stamp set. I can't stop playing with this set, I haven't used anything outside of my Paper Pretties box just yet so if the colors and paper seem familiar that's why. But hey, it comes with all the papers and supplies ready to roll so why look a gift horse in the mouth, eh? ;)

Now, as I mentioned above this set was released by MFT today and I've seen some really fun things done with it....but ya know, I got it a month ago. How? Because the Paper Pretties MFT boxes feature exclusive, unreleased stamp sets!!! Isn't that fantastic!!! Here is a quick overview of what exactly is in these boxes I keep raving about.

The Paper Pretties Premium Package ($39.95 plus shipping) will include:
8 pieces of 8 1/2 x 11 pieces of card stock OR 6 pieces of 12x12 card stock
5 pieces of 12 x 12 printed card stock
2 pieces of specialty card stock (8 1/2 x 11 OR 12 x 12)
4 pieces of ultrasmooth white card stock
full package or packages of embellishments(quantity of embellishments may vary depending on card design)
2 yards each of 3 different types of ribbon - 6 yards in total
6 envelopes
1 stamp or stamp set (depending on stamp company box choice)
1 sentiment stamp (depending on stamp company box choice)
1 small paper crafting tool or accessory

And that's not all....here is a quick list of the additional benefits you get just for being a subscriber:

-10% off all purchases from the Corner Store

-20% off on the monthly "suggested add-on's"

-Access to a 'Members Only' card gallery (including "Card of the Week" samples & cards by the Paper Pretties Design Team)

-Members Only contests and giveaways!

-Participate in "Stampin' In Your Jammies", the virtual stamp night held monthly

-Exclusive sales & specials for Members Only

...kinda starting to think we should be investing in those cool 'Members Only' jackets from the 80's....those were sexy, right? LOL

Needless to say it's worth the membership! And yes, you'll be hearing more about it because Christie emails me personally to tell me about all the new fun stuff she's carrying in her store and all the fantastic new card ideas that are coming up :-x. And if I get hooked, then you'll get hooked.....fyi there will be new Stampendous stamps available soon!!!! So go check it out and then tell Mother Nature to lay off the heat, cause I'm gettin' cranky!!! LOL Ok, back to stamping...it's a 3 day weekend and I have NO PLANS...YIPPPEEEEEEE