Day 3: More WPlus9

Posted on | May 31, 2010 | 10 Comments

Having a great long weekend? The UK and US folks are enjoying a long weekend here. Today’s a UK bank holiday and also Memorial Day for the US. We didn’t do much besides cleaning, a little Cambridge outing, and me taking pics of horses. Yeah, I got a new gig… race horse picture taker. I know, right? Faaaar from children’s photography but my friend hooked me up with her friend and so off the girls, hubby and I went this a.m. Goodness, have you seen race horses up close? They’re just beautiful! We learned a lot about horse racing too. It was fun and educational despite the chilly day. The friend who introduced me to her friend said that who knows I might get into the racing community. Hmmm, I doubt that although I wouldn’t mind being the Shiekh of Dubai’s photographer (HA!!) — he’s got a stable near the one we were at. According to the news he’s got 700 race horses! WOW!!!

I do have a card too… it’s my last before WPlus9‘s release these sets tomorrow (you can check out the sets on Dawn’s blog now)!! For the design I used 2Sketeches4You’s sketch. Yes, it’s their sketch I used!! Something on top, three things in the middle and a strip on the bottom. Do you see it now? For the soil I used one of the cloud’s, pretty soil lookin’, no? The clouds I embossed. It was my heat gun’s first run here in the UK. It doesn’t mind the transformer although I thought it heated up a bit slow. I dunno, maybe it’s just me feeling things.

Ok, gotta go. Before I go, here’s one of the horse I took a photo of:

I should, next time, know the names of my clients. I mean I would if they were humans so what’s the difference, right? These horses are like children in boarding school. They don’t see their parents/owners. So the trainers wanted me to take photographs of them (running, hanging out, etc.) so that they can show the horses’ owners how they’ve been doing at “school”. This one in particular was a sniffer. So I thought it was appropriate to photographer her from the nose {::SMILE}.

Day 2: Hearts

Posted on | May 30, 2010 | 11 Comments

Last week or so Tiffany tweeted and said something like she looked at her clothes for inspiration. Today Jovie was what inspired me… and the Just Us Girls challenge to use dry embossing. The stamps I used are WPlus9′s new June sets: Background Basic: Hearts and the Birds and the Bees. You really should see what Dawn’s created. LOTS of possibilities!!!

The card’s fairly simple. The flowers (felt) were die-cut using SU’s flower template. Then I adhere everything together using fabric glue. The center of the button is twine. Just one of the things I purchased from Olive Manna. For the card, I embossed first using Cuttlebug’s small polka dot embossing folder. Then I stamped the hearts. After that I just added what you see above until I was happy with the result. This is how I make anything. I never have any idea how things are going to end up looking, I just wing it.

Last… here’s the girl that inspired me:

She figured out that she can play on top pf mom’s box of ribbons to rummage through whatever’s back there… most likely the othe smaller boxes of ribbons.

Day One: Birthday Wishes

Posted on | May 29, 2010 | 16 Comments

Kristina Werner is hosting a color challenge again and I had to play. When I saw the colors I thought they’d go perfect with WPlus9′s new stamp set: The Birds and the Bees. Super super CUTE with tons of possibilities and if you want to see more, hop on over to Dawn‘s blog and see what she’s done. Plus she has an awesome giveaway!!

This is a long weekend for us. Actually for M it’s a week long break. It’s her mid-summer break. I’m not sure what to do with her for a week, it’s a new thing for me being home with her during breaks, but we’ll figure out some fun things to do. She did get a bike yesterday so there’s that. She’s still a bike newbie so even on training wheels she’s still flip-flopping everywhere because the sidewalk’s not even. But, she said she’s getting the hang of it.

We’re organizing still. It seems never ending but I know we’ll get there.

Ok, gotta go and do more chores. Ta ta for now!!

Something Fun

Posted on | May 25, 2010 | 13 Comments

I haven’t just sat down and played with my stamps in months! Life’s just been busy busy busy. Technically I am suppose to still be busy with moving but I’m tired and plus, I have these big wardrobes and a desk that needs moving before I can unpack anymore boxes and organize some more. The base for some reason couldn’t pick-up the loaner wardrobes. It was either a misunderstanding or we have to somehow get these big foldable pieces into our Honda. Also the house came semi-furnished. There’s even a piano in one of the downstairs room… my future office. The piano is staying but this old and heavy desk needs to go out to the shed or M’s future club house. The owner said it’s ok. Hubby’s been working A LOT so it’s just been me doing most of the house job. I am fine with it but I just don’t have the muscles to move big furniture. It hasn’t been a vacation here for sure. The poor guy needs a break and so we’re very looking forward to this long weekend. It’ll be full of unpacking, our goal is to finish this weekend, but we want to try and squeeze in some fun time. Either go sight-seeing or just do something locally as a family.

My fun card above was created using Practicing Creativity’s set: Look Up! The little “happy birthday” sentiment is from WPlus9′s Funky Flower. Ya know, when I first got the Funky Flower set I thought: Hmmm, these sentiments are small. But then I found out that I use these sentiments more than any of my other ones. They’re just perfect in terms of size because they can go both ways… stand on their own or mix and match with other bigger sentiments.

The card is the 3rd card I made for somebody these last few days. After this sale I’ve made enough money to reimburse the envelopes I ordered {::SMILE}. I’ve decided to start selling my cards. It was not worth hoarding and hauling them here because some got ruined. They’re not bad but not crispy clean like they were. Plus, it’s better somebody enjoys them than just sitting here collecting dust.

For you UK folks, although Tesco has the C6 (it’s about 4.5×6.5″) for a really good price I went ahead and ordered mine from this store called Soho Paper since they carry coordinating cello bags and the 133x184mm envies. My cards are 4.25×5.5″ but due to the bulk they rarely fit into a regular invite envelope (4.5×5.75″). It’s a bit long but my cards fit snugly. So for the cards I am selling each comes with a paper envelope and the two are protected inside a cello bag. They look pretty slick if I say so myself {::SMILE}. After researching envelope options the UK prices are much cheaper than the US. Also shipping is not as ridiculous and only takes a day (the UK is going to spoil me in this department). I live in an island now and a lot of the places I’ve ordered from are only a few hours away thus the inexpensive postage and one day shipping. I don’t have to order 1000 envelopes to make ordering online worthwhile!!

I bought PC’s sets before I flew to the UK figuring I’d have something new to play with when I get here but it took me over a month to actually sit down and use them. Courtney, if you’re reading this, your set is FUN FUN FUN!! You did awesome!!

Ok, ta ta for now!

To My Favorite Guy

Posted on | May 24, 2010 | 19 Comments

Happy birthday!!! So very glad that you were born many years ago! So very glad too that I met you 8-yrs ago, drunk and all, at a club. If we met in an online dating site we would most likely never have gotten together. The system would never in a million years match us up (if it did, it would be because of the plus/minus 3% margin of error… or a computer glitch), HA!! You have to admit though, I am a lot more charming in person than in photos or online (he’s thinkin’: Yeah, right, only if no word comes out of your mouth). As odd as it may seems we’re still happily together and I have to say, we’ve made some pretty cute mini us along the way {::SMILES}. Love*** you tons!!

To all of you reading out there… life is so much nicer when you’re with somebody who loves you as much as you love them. Even though you’re with somebody you’re free to be yourself and become whatever it is that you desire. It really is worth it, even if you have to make many sacrifices, adjustments, and changes because in the long run you’ll gain back everything that you’ve lost and achieve many more. It’s rewarding to be with somebody whom you can learn from and after the few years together he still gives me the butterflies + warm and fuzzies.

The above card I made for the hubby. I used WPlus9′s stamps: Woodgrain Silhouette and Addition (my FAVORITE sets!!) and a 2Sketches4You sketch by Kazan. This week Wplus9 is the sponsor and there’s an AWESOME prize for this week’s winner. Also, this is 2S4Y’s 2nd anniversary and there are MORE prizes to giveaway!! Go check 2Sketches4You out and also see what the other DTs has to offer.

The card’s fairly simple, I used the twine that I purchased from Etsy: Annie42 (yards of twine from this store for a great price!!!), Martha Stewart twill ribbons that I found on base for $2.50/spool (YEEESH!!!!! The one I have is a 7-yrds spool), staples, PTI button and kraft cardstock, and SU cardstock + ink. I think despite the flowers the card is pretty manly.

Well, I was suppose to go on base but Jovie just woke up from an extra long nap. I need to pick up M soon so we might just wait til we get M to get some groceries. We buy fresh produce from the store in town but there are a lot of things that we still pick up from the base once a month too like American cereal, Oreos (cheaper) and my ramen noodles. I still love ramen noodles, Shin Ramens to be more exact. That’s my craft secret. When I eat ramens before I craft I am more creative. Oh, and after wine too. More later!!