I’ve decided to fly.

Hello, My name is Jennifer and I have a cleaning aversion. Ewww…I hate to clean – The kitchen dishes, the living room clutter, the bathroom…grossness. I’ve got all the excuses: studying, other things to do, i shouldn’t be the ONLY one cleaning this house! No more. This is my attempt to clean it up.

Have you heard of the FLYlady? She has a plan for cleaning. Babysteps…I like the sound of that. Her first step is to shine your sink (and keep it that way).

Now, I’ve debated on whether or not to actually SHOW the before and after pics here in my public stamping blog. But I figured that someone might find it helpful for them if they also have a cleaning aversion. You’re NOT alone! Please be kind to my before picture as I am actually quite proud of my after!

And here it is:

The sink BEFORE shining.

Go ahead, say it. Ewwwww. Here’s what we have: various dishes, gunky soap dispenser, empty Dr. Pepper cans (mind you the trash can is 2 feet away), icky on the sink. Gross! It’s not so bad….right????

Here’s the after:

YAY!!!! It sparkles. Step one was easy and satisfying. Check it out – I got ambitious and washed the window and straightened under the sink too:

Ok, so I’ve got a long way to go. I’m actually pretty relaxed after the scrubbing. It helped take my mind off the crazies of 1st week back at nursing school. I am actually looking forward to day 2. Man, I’m a dork!

We have a purse…sort of

Here’s my progress on my knitted purse. It looks pretty good compared to the smallish rectangle I had the other day. However, I wouldn’t carry around my wallet in it…yet. ha! Man, it’s gonna be CUTE after felting. I’ve decided that this will be my official winter purse! I believe that I will have enough yarn left over to make a matching coin purse. YAY! Yarn!

Also, here’s Maggie Mae with the emerging purse:

She looks overjoyed that I’m taking YET ANOTHER PICTURE of her. I think she’s more mad that I disturbed her nap by shoving my WIP under her chin. After the picture she totally rolled all over the purse. Doggie fur makes it warmer!

Triangle Trees

Here’s another card we’ll be making for my upcoming Christmas card classes. I got this idea from some card idea book I was flipping through at the scrapbook store last week. It’s a great way to display some prized patterned papers! The triangle trees are cut freehand. All supplies are Stampin’ Up! unless otherwise noted.

• Stamp Sets: Shapes & Shadows (retired), Everyday Flex Phrases
• Ink: Always Artichoke, Bashful Blue
• Card Stock: Bashful Blue, Always Artichoke, Mellow Moss, Close to Cocoa, Holiday Thyme Double Sided Paper (Holiday Mini Catalog)
• Accessories: Slot punch, Ivory Narrow Organdy, Blue Gingham, Cranberry Stitched Grosgrain (Holiday Mini Catalog) Ribbons, paper snips, Hardware by Paper Studio
• Technique: Simple Paper Piecing (Beginner)

This & That

Only odds and ends to report today – no productive stamping…sorry

I went to Graceland (Elvis Presley’s home in Memphis) with my Mom on Thursday.

It was pretty fun. I’ve never been, which is a sin if you live in West TN. Elvis had some awesome 70’s style. I thought it was cool, but I can see now why everyone is like, “Elvis’s house is SO tacky!” Well they left it the way it was when he died. And that was what was “in” then. I thought it was a great preservation of the period style. He had a TV in every room! even the dining room. We got to see some of his psychadellic jumpsuits – I was like “I wonder if that smell is Elvis’s BO?” So, if you are ever in Memphis, don’t miss Graceland! haha

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When we went to Memphis Thursday I got to go to a REAL yarn store. Yarniverse is awesome…I think I petted every skein in the whole place. I bought some yarn and here’s what I’ve got so far:

Here’s my current crafty project. It’s a purse – more of a rectangle right now. I’m knitting it with Cascade 220. It will be felted and I’m planning to make the straps longer than what the pattern calls for.

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We also went to an AWESOME stamping/scrapbook store in Memphis called Eclectica. Here’s the only thing I got. Man, I was good!

Elsie is my fav paper scrapper. Her book has 52 challenges. I’m thinking of doing all the challenges and making a special blog about it. hmmmm…. that sounds like a lot of work – especially for a nursing student taking 21 hours this semester. Maybe if I cut out studying….ok I’ll keep ya posted.

Snowflakes in August!

Here’s my latest creation for the Stampin’ Up! Christmas Card class series. The Snowflake Spot stamp set is quickly becoming a favorite of mine.

• Stamp Set: The Snowflake Spot
• Ink: Bashful Blue, Always Artichoke, Silver Encore
• Card Stock: Bashful Blue, Mellow Moss, Christmas Thyme Double Sided Paper
• Accessories: Blue and Moss Gingham ribbons, White, Celery, and Silver (retired) Grosgrain Ribbons, Stampin’ Deminsionals, Large Square Punch
• Technique: Rock-n-Roll (Beginner)

1st Christmas Card

Here’s the first creation for my Stampin’ Up! Christmas Card Classes.I just knew I could find a way to incorporate that cute frog into my Christmas Card Class!

• Stamp Sets: Unfrogettable, Holiday Tag Team, All Year Cheer I
• Ink: Green Galore, Real Red
• Card Stock: Real Red, Green Galore, Whisper White
• Accessories: Black and Red Stampin’ Write Markers, Google Eyes, Glue Pen

Stay tuned for more Christmas Cards.

Virtual Stamp Night (VSN)

I did a card for VSN tonight when I got home from work. The challenge was to create a square card AND follow a card sketch. Staying with my whole “Simply Scrappin’ Kit” Theme, I made another card with the kit. Here it is:

• Stamp Sets: LetterPress Alpha, Alphabits
• Ink: Tempting Turquoise
• Card Stock: Certainly Celery
• Accessories: Friends & Flowers Simply Scrappin’ Kit, Celery Eyelet, Hemp Twine, Crop-a-Dile

Click here to see everyone else’s creations for this challenge.

Also, here’s a shout out to all those talented ladies that got to participate in the whole challenge!

More Simply Scrappin’ Cards

On my last Stampin’ Up! order I got the Hostess Simply Scrappin’ Kit. It is AWESOME! I highly recomend it. Of course my first project featured cards as I do not have any photos I’m dying to scrap. Here’s what I have so far.

• Certainly Celery Card Stock
• Friends & Flowers Simply Scrappin’ Kit
• 1/4″ Hole punch

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Not so sure I like the white gel pen on this card. It kinda gets lost in the patterned paper. I tried to cover most of it up with the tag.

• Certainly Celery Card Stock
• Friends & Flowers Simply Scrappin’ Kit
• Stamps: Everyday Flex Phrases
• Ink: Tempting Turquoise
• American Crafts Ribbon, White Gel Pen, Paper piercer

Birthday Card

Here’s a funny birthday card I made with a sticker I got at my LSS the other day. I don’t know if I’ll really send it to anyone, but I thought the “Old Rooster” part was funny anyway.

• Stamp Sets: Wonderful Weaves, Everyday Flex Phrases, Print Pattern
• Ink: Rose Red, Close to Cocoa, Vanilla Craft
• Card Stock: More Mustard, Rose Red, Close to Cocoa, Watercolor Paper
• Accessories: Word Window Punch, Slot Punch, Stampin’ Sponge, HodgePodge Hardware, Misc. Ribbon, Sticker (Karen Foster)
• Technique: Direct to Paper (Easy)

Got these buttons at WM the other day.

Made this card with one of the buttons.

• Stamp Set: Everyday Flex Phrases
• Ink: Chocolate Chip
• Card Stock: Tempting Turquoise, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Creamy Caramel
• Accessories: Spring Bouquet Flower Punch, Bold Brights Eyelets, Crop-a-Dile (non-SU! see below), Brow Polka Dot Ribbon (American Crafts), Mini Glue Dot
• Technique: Eyelets (Intermediate)

Have you used a Crop-a-Dile? It is awesome! NO POUNDING for eyelet setting. I’ve also been told that you can punch a hole through metal. WOW! Plus the handles are pink!

Some Simple Cards

Here’s my attempt to be like JulieHRR. Her cards are always so simple and amazing. So I tried to be REAL simple…no layers or embellishments. Just some ink and glitter embossing powder. Yay! Everything is Stampin’ Up!

• Stamp Set: Along The Same Lines (i think…it’s a retired hostess set)
• Ink: Basic Black
• Card Stock: Whisper White
• Accessories: Watercolor Wonder Crayons, Aquapainters, VersaMark Pen, Irredescent Ice Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Embossing Buddy

Stampin’ Space

I thought I’d share my stampin’ space with you today. This is where all the magic happens.

This is to my left. I sit at the gird paper. I’ve seen scrap rooms where people have to actually GET UP to retreive a tool or other accessory. Nah if I can’t reach it from my task chair, then I don’t use it!

Some interesting things to point out :

• trash can is under TV
• that’s a casseset tape spinner rack holding my ink (i got it on clearence for like $3)
• I tried to organize my ribbon for the pic (sad attempt)
• those are my scraps – organized by color – in the paper trays

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This is what’s accessible to my right.

Some interesting things to note:

• 8.5 x 11 card stock is in the paper sorter on the right – organized by color
• 12 x 12 paper is in a verticle organizer behind my Stampin’ Sponges
• that’s my card box there with the green lid
• some stamp sets are in the literature organizer

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Yay! It’s my pride and joy – my stamp sets. Kinda thin after cleaning out  most of the retired sets.

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The inside of my card box. Sweet – I’m all stocked up!

More Wondering, More Watercoloring

I watercolored more images from the image swap I got this weekend. All supplies are Stampin’ Up!

• Stamp Sets: Seaside Sketches, Everyday Flex Phrases, Wonderful Weaves
• Ink: StazOn Black, Bravo Burgundy, Always Artichoke, Night of Navy, Close to Cocoa
• Card Stock: Night of Navy, Always Artichoke, Bravo Burgundy, Watercolor Paper
• Accessories: Blender Pens, Word Window Punch, HodgePodge Hardware, Designer Ribbon, Burgundy Grosgrain, Ivory Narrow Organdy, Handheld Hole Punch
• Technique: Water Coloring with blender pens and ink (Intermediate)

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• Stamp Sets: Alphabits, Sunny Season’s Greetings (thanks Trish D)
• Ink: Black StazOn, Green Galore
• Card Stock: Real Red, Green Galore, Watercolor Paper
• Accessories: Watercolor Wonder Crayons, Aquapainters, Hemp Twine
• Technique: Watercoloring with Aquapainters and Watercolor Crayons (Easy)

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• Stamp Sets: Noteworthy (retired), Retired Hydrangea Stamp (Name?)
• Ink: Elegant Eggplant, Certianly Celery, Black StazOn
• Card Stock: Elegant Eggplant, Perfect Plum, Watercolor Paper
• Accessories: Blender Pens, Slot Punch, Eggplant Grosgrain, Black Gingham, Ivory Narrow Organdy
• Technique: Watercoloring with Blender Pens and ink (Intermediate)

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Can you see the difference between watercoloring with Watercolor Crayons verses Ink and Blender Pens?

My thoughts – Watercolor Crayons are more forgiving and look more blend-y (is that a word?). The blender pens with ink gives a deeper color and it’s easier to control.

The Wonder of Watercolor

I love using my Stampin’ Up! Watercolor Wonder Crayons. They are so easy, and they make me look like an artist! I got this image from an image swap at the Splitcoast get-together I attended over the weekend. Everything is Stampin’ Up!

• Stamp Set: Seaside Sketches
• Ink: Black StazOn
• Paper: Watercolor
• Accessories: Watercolor Wonder Crayons, Aquapainters, Ivory Wide Organdy Ribbon, Stampin’ Demensionals, Deckle Edge Scissors (retired)

Also, this is my lame attempt to take better sample pics. Amy needs to do a tutorial on how to take excellent blog pics!

Bad Blogger!

I have been such a slacker lately on my blog! I have all the usual excuses: crazy busy, finals!, technical difficulties, etc. I’m back YAY! If anyone is reading anymore, that is.

Ok here’s my latest news: I went to a Splitcoast Stampers get together in Nashville yesterday. SO MUCH FUN! I have some awesome cards, got to meet some neat ladies, and I got some cool ideas. I don’t have any stampers that I hang out with regularly, so it was great fun to be around “my kind.” We did a shoebox swap and I made 25 spectacular cards! You can see the card I made for the swap here.

I’m doing a swap through the mail on Splitcoast for Stampin’ Up! Demos. The theme is designer series paper, and we are making full cards. There are a few spots open. You should join. Here’s the link to the thread. (P.S. it’s on the demo only side, so non-demos won’t be able to acess it.) I am such a dork…I made mine already even though it doesn’t mail out until September. Here’s my card:

• Stamp Set: Tags So Much (hostess set)
• Ink: Bashful Blue, Close to Cocoa
• Card Stock: Barely Banana, Close to Cocoa, Whisper White
• Accessories: Spring Showers Double Sided Designer Series Paper, Tag Punch, Circle Punch, Hole Punch, Corner Rounder, Stampin’ Demensional, Ivory Narrow Organdy Ribbon, BlueGingham Ribbon

One other update

Remember the wedding program? The bride’s mom chose the second one with the glitter embossing powder. It’s real sparkley in person, so we decided against the green letters under the embossing powder. Yay! I can’t wait to make 150. Again, I am such a dork! haha