Sunday Funnies

Don't forget:

• Today is the last day to get select Stampin' Up! fall stamps at 30% off!
• Today is the last day to join the Card Swap!
• Today is the last day to enter your cards for Sketch 2!

New Look

I've spent most of the day catching up on work here and there. I'm really trying still to get my studio put together, so I can actually get a few things done. Next week I'll be heading off to Fort Lewis, Washington for a couple weeks. If anyone knows any good scrapbook stores in the area please give me a heads up. I always schedule trips around stops like that. (Don't tell Uncle Sam!) Anyhow, Brad bought me a bunch of stuff from Archiver's before he left since it's close to his parents' place. He knows my favorite designer is Rhonna Farrer, so he got one of everything they had. HA! I just dug most of it out of the moving boxes and began to finally make something of it all. I always have a hard time cutting into my favorite stuff. I just want to hold onto it forever. You can get a sneak peek of the card I made by taking a good look at my new blog banner. So many people have tried to help me with it, but I'm not too computer savvy. I finally got a class in layouts today from a very patient pal. I only had to redo it four times! Whadda ya think?

Just a Reminder:

There are only two more days to sign up for the card swap and to get your entries in for Sketch 2.

RAK

I just want to let everyone know that I am still moving into my new studio. Things are beginning to come along more noticeably lately. I credit that to a recent pay day! I'm sure you all know how that feels. Anyhow, I finally got a bit of furniture into my room, so I've also started to unpack some boxes. I found my digital camera cables! Whoohoo! Now I can finally start posting some more photos. I just took this one of an adorable library pocket card sent to me all the way from Chile! She's also an amazing artist! (Yes, I'm very jealous!)

P.S. The Sketch 2 contest is still open for a few more days, and there are still a few more spots open for the card swap. Just scroll down, and post a comment on the corresponding entry to get in on the fun.

UPDATE: Since a few of you are asking, here's what Estivalia said about her card: "actually didn't use any stamping at all on that card! :p It's all that gorgeous Far East paper by DCWV! Both the brown butterfly one and the light blue/pink with small butterflies are from the 8x8 stack. Amazing, isn't it? I love that paper."

Sunday Funnies

Don't forget: when I do sketch challenges I post the new cards with the original post, so keep scrolling down to see some fun new stuff!

Here's your funny for the day. It's an excerpt from Porn for Women:

"Ooh, look, the NFL playoffs are today. I bet we'll have no trouble parking at the crafts fair."

Card Swap Anyone?

Well, it's about time for all of us to start thinking up our Christmas cards, so I thought it'd also be a great time for a small holiday card swap. If you're interested in participating just send me a comment with your email address. I'll contact everyone for addresses and get a list together to send out for our little card party. It's a great way to get new pen pals from all over the world and ideas for the upcoming holidays! Here's who's in so far:

• Ylita from California
• Mary from Kentucky
• Mary from Florida
• Lisa from Texas
• Debra from Australia
• Jayne from Michigan
• Penny from Michigan
• Melissa from New Jersey
• Maura from Ireland
• Julie from Illinois
• Flo from Florida
• Corie from Maryland
• Sandy from Washington
• Debbie from Tennessee
• Melissa from Washington
• Me (duh!)

Update

You all have been asking more and more about Miss Lilly Belle, so I just HAD to share this cute picture of her with you. She's nearly 100% potty trained now. Finally, she makes a bit of noise when she's sitting by the backdoor wanting to go out. She used to just sit there expecting me to eventually come, but I was rarely able to see her since it's in the other room and behind the kitchen table. She also has a newfound love for toilet paper. I just stick her in the tub and give her a square, and she's happy to make the confined mess. It also gives me a break for a minute or two. Thankfully she's still small enough that she can't reach the TP on her own or get out of the tub. It's like a little play pen! LOL! Brad also got her a squeaky toy before he left that she is in love with. He was really picky about not getting anything that made noise when we first took her home. I guess he changed his mind when he knew he wouldn't have to deal with it. :-)

Sketch 2

I'm so thankful to all of you who have been sending your prayers and well wishes to me. I just don't know what to say. It's amazing how many wonderful people I have as blogging buddies. We don't even know each other, but where still there for each other through whatever trials we might be having. I don't know what to say. THANK YOU! I'm so glad that I am beginning to come out of my funky phase. It's not a fun place to be. I miss Brad SOOOOO much, but I know time will only go by more slowly the more I just sit and sulk about it. I need to create! I'll just let him be my muse instead of the reason for the invention of Kleenex. That's a much better use for a man anyhow! I've got 15 months of cards to make, so I'd better not sit around too long. He'll have a mailing address in a couple of weeks, so I'll be sure to let you know when he and his battle buddies are ready for some fan mail. I've gotten lots of sweet comments on my last sketch challenge, so I thought I'd try my hand at another one. And...since I have so much stuff to clear out of my packed scrap room, I'm going to throw in a secret surprise to those who come up with the best creations based off of this sketch. I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Here's Estivalia's design:

Check out this card from Heather:

And this one by Kathy:

And last, but not least Leslie Miller's card: ***Update for all the ladies who entered: Please email me your snail mail addresses, so I can get your goodies out to you!***

In a Funk

As you can tell, I've been in quite a funk since Brad deployed a few days ago. I haven't really created anything. I've been going into work earlier since I can't sleep, and I've been staying later too. That part I don't seem to control though. Perhaps it's more subconscious. I know I'll get back into a routine, but for now I just need to bum it out. I still don't have my scanner and printer and all the other gadgets hooked up to my computer, so I found this picture on my hard drive of a card I made a while back. It's funky kinda like my mood, so it's goes well with the post. I don't have the measurements for this project since the real thing is buried somewhere in all my moving boxes, but I'll be sure to let you know as soon as I do.

Deployment

This was the day I've been dreading for ages. I've been pretty good at holding back the tears and diverting my thoughts to other things as the days grew closer, but today there was no avoiding it. I had to watch him walk away, and there was nothing he or I could do about it. I suppose it was as quick and as painless as it could get. It wasn't long and drawn out or anything, but going back to his apartment before handing in the keys caused it to start sinking in. He's gone. There's no longer any sign that he was there only the screaming sound of nothing. His shoes are no longer by the front door, his toothbrush no longer by the sink, and even his car has left it's parking spot permanently. Now that I'm back at my own apartment I face the same common tortures. A bar of soap, an empty water glass, the indention on the new carpet where his duffel bag was. You know, just little things that never mattered before. I was done before I realized that I perfectly lined up every can of soda in my fridge the exact way he had it in his own with all the labels facing out. V8 then Dr. Pepper then Coke and finally Sprite with one Coke Zero in the front. It's perfect. I don't even drink those things, but I suppose I thought maybe if he needed them everything would be ready and in it's place. Now I just need him to be in his place..... right here.

Candy

Who wants some blog candy!? I do! It's Debbie's birthday today and she's giving presents away! Click the link below to check it out.

Happy Birthday Debbie!!!!

Lilly Update

I just HAD to share this cute picture of little Miss Lilly Belle with you all. It's amazing how much she's changed in just a few weeks! She already sits, asks to go out for potty time, fetches... ....and now she's got half of her body in the ribbon jar!!!

Stampin' Up! Regionals

You know I just HAVE to talk a little about regionals last weekend. I went with my bud Debbie and all of the other girls in our group. You know, uplines, downlines, sidelines... EVERYONE! It had its boring moments, but it also had some great moments too. The boring parts revolved around the prize drawing announcements in which I didn't win a single thing! I just say "Booooo!" to that. I didn't realize how big of a deal this was. There were tons and tons of demonstrators there. I really wish they had more get-to-know-each-other type of things. I really only interacted with the other girls sitting at my table. There were lots of display boards to get some yummy ideas from, but it was a struggle to get around some of those girls who just did not know how to share. Anyhow, here's a picture of me cutting my rubber right after we checked in.

September 11th

It's hard to believe that so many years have passed by since "the attacks". I was a senior in high school. I had never even thought that I would even consider being a Soldier someday. It's strange how one second in my life changed everything. At the time I had no idea what the World Trade Center was or that there were people out there that hated America so badly. I don't know that I could even tell you the difference between Iraq and Iran back then. I'm sure most of you were the same. In just a few short months after September 11th, I became and EMT, a firefighter, and then enlisted in the United States Army. It's still the best decision I have ever made. I can't imagine not wearing this uniform. I used to stand at the microphone and rattle off The Star Spangled Banner at all of our high school foot ball games and pep rallies, but now that song brings tears to my eyes every time. I vowed to serve the past four years of my life to military service, and that commitment is now coming to an end. However, I don't know that I could survive with my life void of service. Last week, on the anniversary that I started Basic Training, I again rose my right hand and recited the oath to reenlistment.

Finally!

I have internet! I don't have my desk yet, so I have my computer sitting up on stacked boxes. The only room that I think is completely moved in at this point is the bathroom. After all, it only needed a shower curtain and a roll of toilet paper and VOILA! I have had so many problems since I moved in though. The cable not working, the leak, the hole in the wall, the cabinet coming down.... just all sorts of crazy things. I also went to the Stampin' Up! Regionals in Louisville, Kentucky this past weekend with Debbie. Oh, and Brad is deploying in less than a week. It's just CRAZY! I just want a little order in my life right now. I guess we all do. Anyhow, I'm back online, so I'm ready to start blogging again!!!!

{yum}

The movers will be here in about twenty minutes to haul it all off to the new place. I'm starting to get nervous that all my furniture won't fit! I don't know where all this STUFF came from!? Anyhow, I don't have much time to blab on and on like usual, so let's get to the point:

Here's what I did:

I started with Whisper White card stock and used one of the new PaperTreyInk sets to design my own patterned paper. I then cut two strips of 3"x6" and adhered them around the can. I used my corner rounder to create the scalloped edge around the top and bottom. It's cut from Bazzill card stock. Next, I stamped out "{yum}" with Technique Tuesday stamps and trimmed them keeping a small white edge. I then attached these to the green Bazzill card stock and trimmed it along the brackets. The small blue flowers are from Doodlebug Design Inc., and most of the ribbon on the handle is from May Arts. Don't ask where the rest is from... I have no idea! After that, I attached the black and white gingham around the center of the can before pop-dotting the label to the front. It didn't feel complete to me at this point, so I took my black journaler and added tons of lines and dots to the title and to the patterned paper as well. All that's left to do is add the candy. And...that's it!