Warm and Fuzzy!

Not much to say today. Other than i've completed my Warm and Fuzzy swap on SCS.   I made one simple and I just love this little yellow chick. I wish i had yellow flocking it would have made the so much better.  The other one was a bit more complicated. 

Shocked on pets!

So today I do believe my hubby shocked me.  I was sitting downstairs working on some cards for my warm and fuzzy card swap I am in.  I heard him calling me from upstairs; he was getting a tattoo worked on by a friend.  So i went up to see what he wanted thinking most likely a soda.  Nope I got to the door and he goes "hunny what would you think if i got rid of all my snakes but 2.  Since i already told you i wasnt gonna mess with the breeding anymore. So what you think.  I'll be able to focus more on keeping up with their care, and we'll have less escape attempts."   Hmmm (thinking to myself)  does this mean he's given up on the false water cobra and any other venomous snake he might want, or is this a way for him to make room for one. 
(my deal with him is the venom sacks have to be completely removed and anti venom on hand just in case. can never be to sure if the sacks are completely removed.)

I was stunned, I've battled with him for at least a year on the quantity of snakes, being overwhelmed by them to the point it was hard fro him to keep up with the tank cleanings, not to mention vet bills when they get respitory infections, mites and the list goes on. 

However i have this one cute lil snake i call hudini.  Even he would go. :(  I call him hudini because when we brought him home the first month he got out of his cage.  Missing for 2 weeks and a friend found him while we were at the reptile show.  Then a few weeks after that he got out and went missing again.  Well 3 weeks later i was walking the dog on the street with my niece and there he was, just laying on the sidewalk slithering his way around to wherever, and to give you an idea of size he is no bigger than a pencil but lengthwise he is roughly pencil and a half. also my Mr. Burmese my ball python that i love squirming on my shoulders cuz its like a massage.  He's called Mr. Burmese because the lady we got him from was told it was a burmese python and that was the reasoning my hubby wanted him.  The guy that sold it to her told her it was a burmese python.  Nope it was just a plain old ball python.  She felt so bad when the hubby told her that it was just a ball.  she even lowered the price for us after knowing that. 

So will I be sad to see them go, you betcha.  they are my lil guys and i can actually handle them.  The ones the hubby wants to keep is his Burmese Python and his Super dwarf Retic. 

I may be sad to see them go, but for crickets for my beardies and food for the snakes at $56-$70 a month  i will not be the least bit sorry for that price to drop.  my crickets depending on how fast and how much i feed them is $27 a month roughly.  sometimes i have to get an order in twice a month but i just have to up the amount of veggies i feed them, and it will reduce the criket amount.  but the mice and rats those get pricey as 1 of the snakes eat the large rats and  3 of the snakes eat medium rats and the rest will eat mice, or frozen gerbils.  Well except hudini he's still on pinkies. 

So we will see how this pans out and see if he really meant it. 

Stampin Up Stamp Club

Well today was my monthly Stampin Up Club meeting.  We made 2 different cards.  We had the choice of making 1 card and 1 scrapbook page.  however I did the cards.  I just never seem to sit down and go through my photos let alone print my photos.  LOL!  It’s been a year and I still haven’t printed our wedding photos. 

This first card was made using the Bliss stamp set.  We did it as a thank you card.  However I’m sure the general idea would work for any kind of card.  I love the simple black and white technique.  We used the craft white ink pad.  Which sits on the top of the paper and takes a few moments to dry so it would work perfect for embossing.  You can also take chalk over it and it has a muted look to the image.  That would be a great way to enhance this card with a lil color.  In fact if it all comes in time for my Color Swap to be due I just might use that idea for my Black with a vibrant color.  Now I just have to get the chalk.  LOL!  I used to have some but never used the stuff.  Now that I have a use for it, I don’t have it no more. 

This is the second card we did.  We took a piece of copy paper and glued 12 -- 1 1/4” squares onto it then put it through the big die.  It made this great quilting look to it.  Then we took two little flower punchs and adhered a pearl to the center and curled up the edges.  It’s hard to tell there is 2 there.  Then we chose the type of sentiment on the front we wanted.  the display was Wonderful Mother, but since 1 of my Secret Sisters likes quilting I figured I’d do Wonderful friend so I can send it to her.  Pretty snazzy I think. 

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!!

 

So Today was not only Valentine's Day but it was also Mine and My husbands 1st Anniversary.  I didn't get to bed til almost 4am last night and i get woke up at 9am to a Dozen Red roses, a card and some handmade Carmel's from a great shop called Main Street Marketplace where i live.  I then went back to bed after I smelled the roses and told the hubby to put them with his flowers i had gotten him.  Well after a petty lil disagreement we spent a few hours griping at each other we were finally to get the day back on track.  So for our date today we took a walk downtown and i stopped at a few shops to look for something.  I am the type a girl that not only wants the flowers from my man as a sweet romantic gesture but something that later on i can say yep this is what i got for my 1st anniversary and for this valentines day. 

So we didn't find nothing downtown, but we did manage to make our way up to Kmart.  i don't really like that place but its the only thing we have in this town and the price is right when it comes to Jewelry but i got to scoure the cases for something i like.  I managed to find this great looking butterfly necklace/earring set that the stone matches the ring he got me Christmas of 2009.  however when i got home to put them on before our dinner and movie the stone just fell out of the earring and it was the only set i seen they had.  So i am hoping they have another set stashed under the counter or can special order it for me.  Otherwise i am just gonna have to get the money back for it and order something online that i like. 

As for the dinner we were gonna eat at a fancy place that neither of us ate at but the only thing on the menu i liked was Cheese curds (yes I'm a picky person)  and the hubby didn't like the prices for their steaks.  So we headed over to DQ and we got some burgers and fries.  Then we went to go see The new Adam Sandler Movie JUST GO WITH IT.    I Love that movie it was really funny.  I would have to say its the best romantic comedy I've seen all year. 

I hope you all had a great Valentines Day, I know i did.

Valentines and Color me 4 kids Swap.

So yesterday I had a date with my Niece Shavanna who came over and she made cards with me.  I had my cards for the Color me 4 kids swap that i had to get done and she used the same images and made some for family and friends.  She pouted when her oldest sister wanted to take one for her boyfriend, but was okay with it once her sister agreed that she could write on the back made by Shavanna on it.  I had to help her cut the paper, but for being 11 and not doing it very often she did a good job. 
My youngest niece Lilli who is 7 cried her little eyes out when she found out Shavanna got to had make these.  So I now have a date with them both for April 2nd to make lots of Easter cards.  So to make it easier on them i will have everything pre-cut for them so all they have to do is color and adhere.

 

These are the Cards I made for my Color me 4 Kids swap that the cards are going to be donated to the Ronald McDonald house.  They will be able to color them themselves. 

That time of the month again!

Well its that time of the month again. NO Not Auntie flo.  My Monthly card swap on SCS is due.  I did this card once before a few years back in a class at archivers and they sent us home with a sheet that had the instructions and shopping list to remake these.  So silly me got them but never made the cards again. 

i wasn't pleased with the brayers for the first few cards and i re did those sheets.  Still not 100% happy, but happy enough for them to be worthy of a recipient.  I don't know if its operator error or if was just my brayer that was being the problem, or heck even my ink pad.  I think I'm gonna have to try that faux brayering where you run the ink pad over the paper.  Maybe it will turn out better. 

Well with no further ado here is the wonderful card.  yeah i know its pink and purple and i have it on orange cardstock.  well dusty durango to be exact.  i thought it would make the pink and purple POP!

DIARY OF A SNOW SHOVELER:

This humorous but obviously fictional tale (original author unknowen)  I got from my friend Heather (darloudasha) who had it forwared to her in an email and so she posted in Her Easter Seceret Sister Swap )

 

For those of you in the very southeren end of Wiscosin and in Illinois propabably can relate to much of this.  I know I can with the darn snow plow drivers.  (well when I actually lived where I had to shovel thats where apartment life is good).

 

DIARY OF A SNOW SHOVELER

 

December 8: 6:00 PM. It started to snow. The first snow of the season and the wife and I took our cocktails and sat for hours by the window watching the huge soft flakes drift down from heaven. It looked like a Grandma Moses Print. So romantic we felt like newlyweds again. I love snow!

December 9: We woke to a beautiful blanket of crystal white snow covering every inch of the landscape. What a fantastic sight! Can there be a more lovely place in the Whole World? Moving here was the best idea I've ever had. Shoveled for the first time in years and felt like a boy again. I did both our driveway and the sidewalks. This afternoon the snow plow came along and covered up the sidewalks and closed in the driveway, so I got to shovel again. What a perfect life.

December 12: The sun has melted all our lovely snow. Such a disappointment. My neighbor tells me not to worry, we'll definitely have a white Christmas. No snow on Christmas would be awful! Bob says we'll have so much snow by the end of winter, that I'll never want to see snow again. I don't think that's possible. Bob is such a nice man. I'm glad he's our neighbor.

December 14: Snow, lovely snow! 8" last night. The temperature dropped to -20. The cold makes everything sparkle so. The wind took my breath away, but I warmed up by shoveling the driveway and sidewalks. This is the life! The snowplow came back this afternoon and buried everything again. I didn't realize I would have to do quite this much shoveling, but I'll certainly get back in shape this way. I wish I wouldn't huff and puff so.

December 15: 20 inches of snow fell. Sold my van and bought a 4x4 Blazer. Bought snow tires for the wife's car and 2 extra snow shovels. Stocked the freezer. The wife wants a wood stove in case the electricity goes out. I think that's silly. We aren't in Alaska after all.

December 16: Ice storm this morning. Fell on my butt on the ice in the driveway putting down salt. The wife laughted for an hour, which I think was very cruel.

December 17: Still way below freezing. Roads are too icy to go anywhere. Electricity was off for 5 hours. I had to pile the blankets on to stay warm. Nothing to do but watch TV with the wife. Guess I should've bought a wood stove. I can't believe I'm freezing to death in my own living room!

December 20: Electricity's back on, but had another 14" of the white stuff last night. More shoveling. Took all day. The snowplow came by twice. Tried to find a neighbor kid to shovel, but they said they're too busy playing hockey. I think they're lying. Called the only hardware store around to see about buying a snow blower and they're out. Might have another shipment in March. I think they're lying. Bob says I have to shovel or the city will have it done and bill me. I think he's lying.

December 21: The city did my plowing and charged me. I hate it when Bob's right!

December 22: Bob was right about a white Christmas because 13 inches fell today, and it's so cold it probably won't melt till August! Took me 45 minutes to get all dressed up to go out to shovel, but by that time I was too tired to shovel. I tried to hire Bob who has a plow on his truck for the rest of the winter, but he says he's too busy. I think he's lying.

December 23: Only 2" of snow today. And it warmed up to 0. The wife wanted me to decorate the front of the house this morning. What, is she...nuts??? Why didn't she tell me to do that a month ago? She says she did but I think she's lying.

December 24: 6". Snow packed so hard by snowplow that I broke the shovel. Thought I was having a heart attack. If I ever catch the guy who drives that snowplow, I'll drag him through the snow by his hair! I know he hides around the corner and waits for me to finish shoveling and then he comes down the street at a 100 miles an hour and throws snow all over where I've just been! Tonight the wife wanted me to sing Christmas carols with her and open our presents, but I was too busy watching for the snowplow.

December 25: Merry Christmas. 20 more inches of the !=3D@x@!x!x1 slop tonight. Snowed in. The idea of shoveling makes my blood boil! I hate the snow! Then the snowplow driver came by asking for a donation and I hit him over the head with my shovel. The wife says I have a bad attitude. I think she's lying. If I have to watch "It's a Wonderful Life" one more time, I'm going to scream!

December 26: Still snowed in. Why did I ever move here?

December 27: Temperature dropped to -50 and the pipes froze.

December 28: Warmed up to above -30. Still snowed in.

December 29: 10 more inches. Bob says I have to shovel the roof or it could cave in. That's the silliest thing I ever heard! How dumb does he think I am?

December 30: Roof caved in. The snowplow driver is suing me for a million dollars for the bump on his head. The wife went home to her mother. 9" predicted.

December 31: Set fire to what's left of the house. No more shoveling.

January 8: I feel so good. I just love those little white pills they keep giving me. Why am I strapped to the bed? Why is everyone wearing white coats?

"Why Did I Buy This???"

Yep i've gone and done it AGAIN!  I've found lots of items in my stash of supplies that I haven't used since I bought them years ago.  Now i get to use them.  Wanna know why?  Well i'll tell you anyways, there is a wonderful gal Darlene (luvmakingcards) on SCS, (Yep my home away from home) she created a swap just for items you bought and never used.  The hook for it was it had to be sitting around for at leasy 1 year and never used before.  Well I didn't have to many problems with this one as I have 18 glimmer mists and never used any except once 3 years ago to color those tiny little cotton balls.  So for one set I choose the glimmer mists so You Tube there I went.  I had no idea what to do with them.  So I found som tutorials on using the stuff.  I now know why I haven't used them before.  All you can basically do with them is color stuff  and make background paper, and color chipboard and such items.  I tried coloring something metal like it said you could, but it wouldnt stick.  Don't know what i did wrong yet.  So I just did a few papers.  

REASONS I'VE NEVER USED IT BEFORE!

1. It's messy
2. It never sprays right
3. Background paper is all i can do with it.  and
4. Did I say messy.

I have used a few techniques.  I tried a tissue paper method where you place crumpled tissue paper over the paper and it makes the color a little dull.  The best part is you can save the tissue paper for use on your creations too.  I wasnt a big fan of the white gaps it caused so I took the lightest color I used and sprayed over them lightly.  This is how it turned out.

Then I tried the method where you spray directly to the paper but I always get those blotchy spots form those pesky air bubbles. 

The final method I tried and liked the best is the one where you spray directly to the paper and saturate it enough that you can easily crumple it.  Make sure when you unravel it that you dont rip it.  As I did with one, however I was able to work with it and you can't even notice. 

So the pieces on these cards that were at least a year old and never used within that time are as follows:

Various colors of Glimmer Mist

Pink bubblegum

Saphire

Graphite

Deep Purple

Fully Purple

and 2 other colors I can't remember.

The cardstock bases plus the background colored paper under the scalloped circle.

Also the fibers.

The image is a few months old, but this is the first time i've used it other than making some images for my fairy swap I hosted.

So now your prolly wondering what the cards turned out like.  So with no further introduction here is Set #1.

 

Now on to set #2.

I am very proud of this set.  Not only did I complete it with products i've had for over a year without using.  They are all over 2 years old.  The only thing I regret is not using my flocking on the cats. 

The Stamp Set is Sassy Cats from The Angel Company

The Paper I stamped on feel like leather.  It's a bit strange.

I riped the side of the image with a deckled ruler. 

The DP is foiled hearts from a Rockband set.

Then the Sparkle black and pink paper.

The cats collar I colored with a pink glitter pen and then used pink stickles over it.

Then for that added touch, although it could go without the 2 piece flower in the corner. 

I've had a few people ask what company it's from so I thought i'd mention it.  I have never used this set from the day I got it.  I thought it was Cute and Sassy but never really did have an idea of what kind of card to make with it.  Now I got a cute Valentines card.

 

Hope you've enjoyed these cards.  I know I surley enjoyed making them.