I’m Getting Published!

I received an email from Scrapbook Trends Magazine and they liked what I sent them so one of my pages will be in the September issue. Whoo hoo!!!

I wasn’t serious when I sent them the email. I got to their site from Stampin’ Up! demo site actually. SU’s demo site is not the easiest to navigate and one day earlier this month I felt like clicking around to figure out where things are at (being a web designer makes me uber critical of others’ navigational systems). After clicking here and there I got to the “get your work published” page and one that was listed was Scrapbook Trends. After looking at the different criteria for September (now they’re doing a call for the November issue), there was one that fits and so I sent them a short note and an attachment. I totally forgot about it and it didn’t even click when I read their email stating they’ve accepted my layout (ok, I even forgot what I sent them - glad they attached the image).

Of course I’m super happy this weekend and M is too since it’s one of her pages (granted I think she has no idea what being in a magazine means). In the middle of the email, there was this note:

“Although we are planning on publishing your layout, sometimes space constraints change, resulting in layouts not being published. This rarely happens, but if it does, you will still receive the same amount of product as our thank you.”

Now to wait until Sept. to see if mine is actually published {::SMILES}.

I haven’t posted any traditional pages in almost a week, thought I’d post this. I’m going to submit this to One Little Word. Their word for this week: Grow. Check OLW out, they’re so fun, great words and awesome DT.

I love this page and the picture. I took these last Easter and I’ve done a few pages here and there but saved the best for this layout. Not a lot of embellishments really but with the type of background paper, it makes the page look busy. I used a few items from my Studio Calico kit and also a few chip boards from this big can that I got from WalMart. I picked this up months ago and was going to return it but ended up using it at the crop a few weeks ago for giveaways. But I still have a lot left.

We’re leaving for some sushi. Maybe Michaels will still be open. Might see what they have.

Hello from Osage Beach

I have Internet, yeah! It’s $9.95/day but I really needed it. I got what I need to do for tomorrow done, learned lots in the process of it, and even helped out with some work website issues. Now I just need to go to bed.

Ok, what to share this…  If you’ve been following the ColourLovers tutorials, I have something here for you… what happens when you click on the “Create a pattern with this palette” button? Try it out. It’s pretty cool! Select a palette first and you should get to this window.

M… poor thing, her stomach is upset or something. She threw up at the restaurant. Nice huh? Earlier she said her tummy hurts. She took a nap and after she woke up she said she’s hungry. We went to the restaurant and she wouldn’t eat and when she did take a bite of the salmon… everything came out. Thankfully, the husband is here with me. But, soon after we got back to the hotel, she was fine. Hubby, who got puked on (literally all over — M was standing on the chair right next to him and hubby was extending his arms out to pick her up) got cleaned up and decided that after all that (picking salmon out of his favorite hat and cell phone besides rinsing everything else) he needed a drink (or more). So he went to the bar and joined my co-worker for some male bonding. What an evening!

I also have a card to share. It’s an old one that I did. Thought you might like it for inspiration if you have this Big Bloom retired SU set. I think this was one of my first card where I cut a lot. I use to not like doing it but now I find the need to always cut something. This was also the first card that I created that I really like. Again, I am hard on myself.

Well, good night. Got to grab breakfast at 7 a.m.  tomorrow. The great thing about today was that the front desk knew I was bringing my M today and so our room is right next to the back door of the room they’re using for the meals, YES! My sessions are also just around the corner. NICE!!

I Am May’s Guest For…

H&M stamps! Whoo hoo… You can check out the announcement on Heather’s blog. I guess I’m the only one without a photo {::SMILES}. If you’re interested in being a guest for H&M, just send Heather some of your creations via email or link her up to your gallery. This is my first stamps CT and I can’t wait for my first shipment. It’s also an honor to be her May guest CT since that month is her launch month for her new stamp company. It’ll be so fun to be amongst so many other awesome stampers whom many of you know already through SCS and their blogs.

Here are some info on my layouts. The two layouts were created using Cherie Shield’s new Beautiful Soul kit. I really like this kit. It was really fun to play with. The pictures are old… I’m a bit behind with my scrapbooking. Before this year, I think the most that I’ve done in a year is 12 pages. This year I’ve done more as you’ve seen. Being in a few design teams and also this blog has motivated me to keep creating.

The picture on the second layout was taken when hubby returned from a three+ months duty. M was almost 19th months when he came back. Due to dad’s job, M and dad lost almost 7 months of time together (hubby’s gone on a few more since then but they were short trips, 2-6 weeks). Because of his job, M’s a momma’s girl. Even though they’re closer now, if she’s hurt, sick, or just feeling down, mom is who she ask for 95% of the time. It breaks daddy’s heart a lot but it’s gotten a lot better. The pictures on this page is really special because hubby was really worried that she wouldn’t remember him and M wouldn’t want to come to him but he was wrong and she was attached to him from the first time she laid eyes on him. It was a great homecoming.

I had such a great time the last few days at the two crops that I went to. The first one was at a local church. They meet once a month and next month they’re hosting a 15 hour crop. I did one layout and an altered book there. The second one, Saturday, was hosted by the girls’ scout. I did three digi layouts and a paper one. I started doing another one but then ended up stuffing all in my bag since there weren’t a lot of time left by then.

At the Saturday crop, I met up with the ladies that are going to open a scrapbook store here in town. Whoo hoo!!! I gave them a few names that I love. Just like clothes I have a few favorite brand names. Unlike clothes, I can buy which ever brand when it comes to paper and digi since I don’t have to wonder whether that brand carries petite/short items. For paper or none reusable items they’d just stay in my paper bin since they look so pretty and I’m afraid to use them in case I mess up. So, even with a lot of things that I haven’t used, earlier today I orders some Bam Pop, Sassafrass Lass, Adrienne Looman, Hambly, Tinkering Ink, Love Elsie stamps, and alphabets from American Craft from SIStv. Most are paper but I did order a few embellishments like tags and other coordinating items. Ahhh…. I think I need to go to therapy!

Humor: Women

My husband really loves me. But he sometimes can’t understand how complicated I am or how complicated women are in general. So today, he sent me this. He knows I hate forwarded emails unless they’re really good or they meant something. Here’s one: Women as Explained by Engineers. He loves sending me this kind of stuff because I am a woman and because I was an electrical engineering major. I love the first one because I’m a math geek and I love the one with lots of knobs because I love buttons… the more complicated the equipment or technology the better, ha ha. If you click on the read more or whatever it say under this picture, you can see the rest of the images.

I have a couple cards that I want to show you. I’ll post those later. Then tomorrow I have a cool (or so I think) and short tutorial that I want to share. I have a two day crop this weekend. Friday from 6 p.m.-12 a.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. I have a baby sitting date too Saturday evening after I scrap. For the first time I will be the one babysitting. WOW! This is my first baby sitting job ever!

Continue reading »

My Secret Sister

It’s Catherine! Today Mr. Brown dropped off this huge package. I don’t remember ordering anything but on the return address I saw her name. She’s so sweet! She sent me a lot of stuff and I actually forgot to add two things, she sent me a wooden “S” that I can’t wait to decorate (hubby’s priming it!) and pink ribbons.

The blue fish net looking thing… I already have a scrapbook idea for it. I can’t wait to get going on it. I’m also going to use the acrylic stamps  and pink ribbons she sent me too for the LO.

Now, aren’t the two cards she made me gorgeous? I LOVE the owl but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVe the card with the birds. She free hand the swirls AND there are flowers in the center of the birds. Gorgeous!

So, Catherine. THANK YOU!!! It’s been fun and I really love every single thing you sent. You are so good with the embossing!

Now, if you’re here looking for the tutorial. Well, I accidently published my previous post before the video was approved by Revver. The way WordPress is set up, I can edit the time stamp and tell WordPress to publish in a few hours (usually I just set it for midnight) or when Revver approves my video. But, I forgot to edit the time stamp and so the page got published minus the video. So I hid the post for now until Revver approves the video. If you’re subscribe to my blog through the RSS feed… well, you saw my post and it’ll stay in the reader. You’ll just have to come back in a few hours for the video. Sorry about that!

Birthday Party and a Card

Well, I think the party was a success. We had four little friends over and they all, or so I think, had a fun time. I had a little agenda, as posted in the previous post, but it was pretty flexible so the girls had a lot of time to play and not be in a “strict” party agenda. They all (even the super shy one) enjoyed the various activities so that was nice. The pizza was a hit but the veggies and fruits… uhm, the girls just glanced… I did stick a carrot at least on their plate but only a couple actually ate it.

They all did love their little mailboxes, even their mommies (I even got compliments on the invites {::SMILES}), and I hope they like what’s in it since it’s not so common. In the mailbox I put a little hair piece that M chose, a play ring, and snacks. The snacks are the odd ones, I put organic animal crackers, natural (or organic… I forgot which brand I bought) fruit roll-ups, and organic/natural chocolates — they look like M&Ms. They were all purchased from Nature’s Pantry, my favorite place to go grocery shopping. M calls it “mommy’s hippie store.” Hmmm… whatever little girl. But, I think they will like the snacks. They do taste great minus all the extra none natural stuff. They did have cookies for snack time, organic type Oreo-ish cookies, and all that were left of the cookies were the crumbs on their faces.

For the occassion, I didn’t over decorate. I figured they’re still little, they just want to have fun, so I had a little bit of streamers and the Happy 4th BDay banner — which I altered. Initially I was going to make one but never got to it. I couldn’t find a banner that I like but in the Valentine’s stuff there’s this pink sparkly Happy Heart Day banner. I have some letters and numbers and so on the heart I put 4th and on the “D” I plopped a “B”. So now instead of Happy Heart Day it’s Happy 4th BDay {::SMILES}. M loved it.

So that’s it. Was there a big hit? Not really, I think Emma’s room. They all kept wanting to go back up there. There’s nothing special really but there are more toys up there. What I like was the cupcake decorating before eating it. We made the cupcakes because we didn’t want to get one from the store which has all sorts of preservatives and A LOT of frosting. Despite the fact that some got a good lick of frosting from the cup, they didn’t over do it on their cupcakes. Just a thin spread and sprinkles. It was great. The only thing I used for the cupcake that I wasn’t too crazy about was the food coloring. Emma wanted pink and I forgot to get one at Nature’s Pantry. So I got regular food coloring, used a drip of it, and now I have this bottle that I have no idea what to do with. After the party, I was poop’d! We all took a nap though and that was nice.

Now it’s back to normal again and I want to share this card that I made last night. February is a busy month. LOTS of birthdays for me. Here’s one that I did for my friend. I used Beate’s sketch for this card. This was initially created for a 5-yr-old but after all is done, it looks to boring. So she’s getting something else, still thinking about it. I used wild wasabi, soft sky, tan, black, apple cider, and fall flowers paper. The ink’s pumpkin pie and black, and the ribbon is the wild wasabi stripe one. I did paper piercing all around the card, I like. The stamp set: A Little Birdie Told Me. I love this set!

Have a great rest of the weekend. Tomorrow we have a car show to go to and a feed the hunger kind of event in the evening. We’re suppose to bring milk. I’ll also be sorting through the trash. Separating all the recycle item from the actual trash. We were hurrying today to clear the tables for the next thing that everything got put into the trash bag. I got to clean my office/craft room to. Ahhh….

It’s Thursday!

URGH! Two more days until M’s birthday party and I have two more mailboxes (I have 5 little girls coming!) to finish and figure out how to make cupcakes. My super sweet friend, Guen, made these ultra cute miniature cupcakes. Check out her blog, to die for! She said it’s easy but she’s a way better baker than I am so we’ll see. I’m a bit freaked out about it since the cupcakes will be THE center of this party. I mean you got to have a cake for a birthday, right? So here’s the plan (princess party):

11 a.m. - 1 p.m.:
- Wand making and then spend some time waving it around the house
- Color this gigantic princess poster and then use it to play “pin” the crown on the princess
- LUNCH! Pizza, per M’s request
- Storytime and singing time… I figure it’ll entertain the fast eaters
- Game, throw these flowers into a stick — crap, what is it called?!?!?
- Cake time!
- Get ready to go home

I’ll have a couple back-up games and/or activities but that’s pretty much it. What do you think?

Besides that, I have a page that I did today. Isn’t she crazy? Yeah, in between grading, making mailboxes (better than the first, I’ll show you all when I’m done), I managed to scrapbook. I used a kit by Dana Frantz. I used her paper for my text. You can watch the tutorial if your interested. I used the “expand” function for the black text background, 10-40 pixel, depending on how wide you want the background paper to be.

Alright, going to bed. Tomorrow’s goal: finish the mailboxes and gather all the ingredients that I need to back. I know I don’t have food coloring to make pink icing.

My “Secret” Sister

I wonder who she is. She sent me this lovely, lovely card that I received in the mail yesterday. I LOVE it! Thank you so much!!

If you’re new to my site, I am in a stamping-blog group (you can see the complete list on the right, there are 30 of us). They are my blogging stamping sisters. Starting this month, we have been trying to do more activities together. This swap/secret sister ordeal was one easy way to get to know each other better and to just plain swap.

So back to the card… you can’t see it too well but the white card stock is distressed. I love that look. I do it on mine when I remember to. On the main image, some wet embossing took place and I just love the  powder color that was used. So light and pretty. This stamp set… now this is interesting. Was one I didn’t really care for when I saw it in the catalog but now I want it because it looks so pretty in person. The sentiment is perfect and it’s so neat that it swirls like that. Very elegant!

Now I wonder if my secret sister got her card.  I haven’t heard her mention it. I hope.

Have You Googled Yourself? Plus Felt Reindeer.

OMG, I just did that and I am on two pages. My old friends from school wouldn’t be able to say they weren’t able to get a hold of me! Try it out, see if you’re all over Google!

So, besides that, I wasn’t feeling too paper crafty this evening. So I decided to make a little ornament. I made this little guy based on Mel Goodsell’s template. This is my second reindeer actually. My first one was a Christmas present but I forgot to take a picture of it. If I remember correctly, the other one is cuter than this but my stitching skill is a bit better here. Who knows. I’m still confused in some areas, like what do you do when you run out of thread? How do you start again to get a clean and continuous looking stitching. Is that even possible? So despite my questions and that I think it’s just not done right, since I learned on my own from a YouTube video (see my first felt creation), I’m going to shut up and be happy with what I’ve got. Here it is:

For the stitching, I just used regular sewing thread. I don’t have access to anything else in this town — got to drive — so just have to use what I have. Orange is the color of the thread going around the reindeer. The mouth is suppose to be red but you can’t really tell. I didn’t use anything around his neck because unlike Mel’s, my scarf looked ridiculous

I like this little guy. It’s my fourth creation. Two owls and two reindeers. I want to try a little dolly or the pencil topper thing (guess who’s site I’m getting this idea from, ha!). I do love a lot of the items that in my Flickr favorites but many seems so hard. Maybe when I get better. Now, I did get some zig zag scissors for fabric, oh, what are they called now… so this weekend I can work on M’s bday stuff.

My Jewelry Guy

Sometimes during the Christmas 2006 break I lost the center of my engagement ring. We were going to replace it but we just never got to it until my wedding band fell off my finger last summer. I had no idea what happened. I remember talking about it while driving back from lunch with my co-worker, I remember looking at it even, and when I got in my car to drive home, it wasn’t on my finger. Ahhhh…. I loved that ring too. It was one of those eternity type rings.

We didn’t get into the ring replacement until we returned from our big trip overseas. My co-worker recommended me a jeweler in Independence, MO, and there I went. I liked this place, still do, because they do handmade work. So I talked to Kelly, gave him whatever diamond and gold that I have left, he drew me a design, I loved it, and off I went to look for a center. I was stuck on a cushion diamond. I love antique everything and I am in love with old style rings and the cushion cut is an old time cut that’s becoming popular again now. I did my research and of course I came to find out that I fell in love with the most difficult diamond to purchase. The cushion has no perfect specification unlike the round for example. You have to look at a cushion and you either like it or you don’t. There are all sorts of different ratios and even the perfect cut and polish doesn’t always mean a great looking cushion. Of course I couldn’t find any locally. They all had to bring one in and all had some sort of policy if I don’t like the look of it even though it perfectly matches all the specs. After lurking around at pricescope.com, talked to a few stores, I finally found the cushion man. Mark from ERD in NY. Ha ha… yeah, I bought a diamond online. Because he had such great reviews, I trusted this guy to find me the perfect cushion within my specifications and that looks great. He found one of course (being in the diamond district has its advantages) and for what it is, I got a great deal on it, well at least a few hundred less than if I got it locally and shipping was included. I recommend him everybody at pricescope swears by him for cushions.

Kelly and Drenon was the one who build my ring. He was a bit skeptical about me buying my own center, ONLINE, but he was quite impressed with my cushion. After a couple wax, the first wax was not at all like how he drew it, he nailed it. Although it was a bit weird to look at a blue and orange (the color of the wax) I knew it was the ring. After a couple of weeks I picked it up and voila, my ring {::SMILES} Kelly did a great job I think. Not only did he create a great ring he patiently put up with me.

Coincidentally the ring was completed a few days before Christmas. So in a way it seems like it’s a Christmas present and almost to the year since when I lost the center. Hope he likes the card. I tried to make it kind of manly even though the paper does have flowers on it. I have nothing manly. The papers are new, I got them at Hobby Lobby, 5/$1, by Memory Keepers. The stamp is a Fiskars clear stamp. I was looking for something that has a diamond ring and this was the only one I could find. The “thank you” is from the Spring Solitudes set.