"Money has never made man happy, nor will it, there is nothing in its nature to produce happiness. The more of it one has the more one wants. "
Benjamin Franklin

look at the cutie I made, one punch, two pieces of scrap paper

here is picture of the newest label, the other one didn't have the benefit of daylight

side by side

so here is what I have come up with today. Old Olive, Marina Mist and Real Red. All I did was cut up 1 inch squares and put them in embossing folders that I had inked with the same colour Stampin' Up! ink. A bit time consuming for one piece of a card, but I do like it. Colour, depth, texture. What do you think?

The Sizzix Big Shot for Stampin' Up!

I *LOVE* My Stampin' Up! Big Shot; have had it for a few months and I just adore the dies that Stampin' Up! has exclusive designs for. I have wanted to build cute little boxes and projects for so long.

The nice thing about this machine is it's only 8 lbs so it's very portable, stylish and works with other die cutting machine dies. A great investment!

Keep tuned for some example...

Here I sit, awake, since 330am, such pain. This "process" is murder. Not literally but, saying it's difficult just doesn't seem to make it understandable to other people. Actually, I don't know how to get people to understand. Do they even want to understand? Everyone has their own problems. This blog isn't meant for whining pathetic diabribes. Next episode: more scrapbooking love!

"'Gratitude is absolutely the way to bring more into your life.'
Marci Shimoff"

some eye candy

four new fabulous punches arrived on my doorstep this evening....

and three new wonderful stamp sets....

Can you guess what I'll be doing tonight and tomorrow am? (with the variety of embellishments that came in the box too!)

"“Just living is not enough. One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.”

• I have had such a lazy week. Partly feel guilty because there is so much I should be doing, could be doing, want to be doing... partly, don't care. Too much anyways.
• Been trying something new, the "15 minute clean". I clean for 15 minutes, with timer and everything and then I feel like I can take a break. The break of course, is untimed. Ha! I am getting some things done though so it's better than nothing.
• Ms Cupcake came over the other night to see the new dining room furniture and she quickly put together my other bedside table. Bam, just like that. I love how it looks, now just to figure out the dresser and vanity, and move the a/c and jewelry stand out of here. And get some wall decor up. I need better light too. Ms Cupcake has so many wonderfu ideas... I have no energy to make them happen. The "open house" is coming up in less than a month and I do want to have a nice clean home. It may not be exactly how I want it set up, but I do want it clean and as nice as possible. It never ends with a house and I have to get myself out of wanting to fill the place up with temporary items, to "fill up" and instead get pieces that I LOVE and want with me forever. There is a chair I just LOVE at Lazyboy and I think I will go have a look at it next week and see if there is any specials on it, can't remember the price but I think it was around $1500 which is huge (to me) but it is an investment piece and SO comfortable. I think I would spend more time in my living room. I also want to get a gray cover for my IKEA chair as I'm already so tired of the red and the cat hair is so visible. DD has the ottoman already so that gives me more room to play with.
• Utlimately I envision a large living great room with two distinct areas. One with four large comfy chairs, two the same, two different with a round large ottoman or table and then something to separate the room a bit, maybe an Expedit shelf and have the chaise lounge/cough with another chair with possibly a small bookcase or something else to decorate/accent the space. I see me with my girlfriends, each in a chair, solving the problems of the world. Can't wait to have that - the living room anyways. Gray walls with predominately gray furniture but with big pops of colour. I do love some of the prints lazyboy does have. *oh to dream*
• bought Season 4 of Dexter and it was FABULOUS! Wow. I think I need to go and buy HBO and whatever else cable shows so I can watch it when it starts up next month. John Lithgow was amazing. I can't wait for Nurse Jackie to come out on Season 2, then catch up on it and be able to watch the third season, like normal people.
• been playing a bit more in my studio and it is so enjoyable. I'm slowly putting more things away and then playing and I dream of the day that it's completely set up and I will spend my time down there, tv on, scrapbooking, cardmaking, having workshops, crops, and one day, classes.
• went and got groceries today, just so busy there all the time. but they had a "coupon" which I easily qualified for. got myself a crockpot; perfect for the fall and nightshift meals. also picked up some magazines to inspire me.

thanks for checking in!

Stampin' Up! Top Notch Die

Here it is, a brainstorm that happened during a nap. I have loved the Top Notch die ever since it came out, even bought it but never could use it until I sighed up as an Independent Demonstrator and bought the Big Shot.
Have seen variations of the patchwork quilt look, mostly monochromatic..online and in my dream, dreamt of Christmas colours.

First version is very simple and basic. Lacks, well, a lot. I cut 1.5 inch by 1.5 inch squares and mounted them onto a piece of white cardstock/board that I get free from work. Used the top notch die and voila.

Second version, as you can see, has more interest as I stamped the paper with different stamps to add depth. Colours are Riding Hood Red, Garden Green and Not Quite Navy.

Third version (but not the final - you will have to wait until next week!) has texture. Ran a few squares through an embossing template and inked each square with the corresponding ink and then versamark'd the whole cut out die.

The three different looks.... but the card is unfinished and will post next week, when it unfolds...

VIDEO: Clear Mount Stamps

"'A successful life is one that is lived through understanding and pursuing one's own path, not chasing after the dreams of others.''
Chin-Ning Chu

part two. all Stampin' Up! products

fighting off a migraine...headache nonstop for over 12 hours now, nausea is coming. loaded up on everything I can to advert it at the pass.
so I thought I would try some other type of therapy and went downstairs
tidied for 15 minutes (that's my new thing...clean for 15, then I can "break")
made this card. All Stampin' Up! supplies except for the border punch, which doesn't even go with everything else
but I wanted to use it so badly to see what it would look like. So love this colour combo.

"'Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind.''
Lionel Hampton

I got the urge to make a couple of cards after seeing something online. If only I could show you what inspired me and what I ended up with. Too funny. Not liking either of them too much. First one seems like it's missing something. I don't know. I wanted to add a circular focus but also needed to use only Stampin' Up! products. So I used what I had, that was current. And actually, a sneak peek from the Holiday Mini! Can you see what they are? Colours are Basic Gray and Rich Razzleberry. Three punches: tag, label and butterfly, all from Stampin' Up! I do love the colour combo!

"'Just as millions of snowflakes pile up to create a blanket of snow, the 'thank you's' we say pile up and fall gently upon one another until, in our hearts and minds, we are adrift in gratitude.'
Daphne Rose Kingman

"“Every good act is charity. A man's true wealth hereafter is the good that he does in this world to his fellows.”
Jean Baptiste Poquelin Molière

My Pandora Charm bracelet

I have been wanting new dining room furniture, basically, since my husband left. The set I have right now we picked out together for our new dining room. It was part of a huge renovation: kitchen, bathroom, master bathroom, dining room and huge master bathroom. ANYWAYS, I don't want it, it's part of my past. So I have been looking for a round pedestal table that would be large enough to have 6-8 people around it. I don't check Craig's List often but the other day I was browsing and found this suite in the next city. So I went out today and fell in love immediately. I brought part of the furniture home and my brother picked up the rest. I have two chairs to put together as the family barely used the furniture as they inherited some family dining room furniture. I have to figure out where the best place is to situation them as the room is a bit tight, but it's where I want them. I am so pleased....

In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.

Eleanor Roosevelt

blogthings...

Relaxation Feels Like Home to You
You believe that your home should be your sanctuary. Life is stressful enough in the outside world.You take it easy when you're at home. It's the place where you feel like you can truly be yourself.You are the type of person who has deep hobbies and interests. You treasure your alone time.You could spend all day at home if you had to. You always can find plenty to do around the house.

web redesign

I've been thinking of learning how to re-design my webite. Not only how the appearance is, but how to organize my links. My focus is more now on Stampin' Up! blogs with ideas and then my favorites that I have loved over the years. I'm worried how following the rules of Stampin' Up! and not wanting to break any. I do have a blog on my website with them and need to get better to post there as well. I don't put any pictures really because all the products must be current and I always seem to end up using something non Stampin' Up! or retired. I guess the more new product I get (and yes, have an order in, to get prepared for my first party) it will get easier. Any suggestions on how to learn some easy html and create your own titles, watermarks, signatures, buttons, etc, would be appreciated!

cheers!

Vegas shopping

We did quite a bit of shopping while in Vegas, my daughter more than me. I love walking about the shops in Miracle Mile, Fashion Show and the Forum Shops. I wish I had $$$ to buy so many fabulous purses I saw. I am starting to have a purse addiction! I got two great ones at Dillards, both on sale. One is black, more for nighttime with a big flower on the front, made of leather. Steve Madden. And then a nice rose pink embossed Fossil cross over bag.

The other fun and exciting purchase for me, was the Pandora charms. I so * heart* my Pandora Bracelet that Rocketgirl gave me last Christmas. It's getting quite full now, maybe room for 4-6 charms. My DD gave me a green charm for my 2nd bracelet, which will be blues and greens, including peridot which is my birthstone.

I loved going to the Viva Las Vegas Stampstore too. Such funny stamps. So so funny. I wish I could have spent more time, but it's just as easy to shop online with him. Here's the link: http://www.vlvstamps.com/

There's a uniform store across from the stamp store and we made quick stop there, got 1 printed top and 2 simple scrub sets. 9.99 per piece. Can't beat that. Not super soft but get better with the washes. Gray and a dark teal.

My daughter got lots of clothes. My favorites are her leather jacket, the leopard dress and the sequin top. She looks stunning in them all. Love her to bits.

Vegas Food and Drinks

Did I mention how much I love this Godiva Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory?????
Too tired to journal
please enjoy a heavy picture post
all about food and drink
*giggle*

“When you start to develop your powers of empathy and imagination, the whole world opens up to you.”

Susan Sarandon

some Vegas highlights

• surprise, my dear darling daughter (aka the spirited one and only) and I went to Las Vegas last week for six days, five nights, staying at Caesar's hotel.
• Caesar's. hmm what to say. Disappointing.......
• The 8 pools I was so excited to spend my mornings at? Well, two were automatically out of the running as one was European and one was pay to get in for "partying", then one was basically if you wanted to gamble while in water at the bar and three others only had fancy seating you had to pay to use. And pay, I mean, pay... up to $350! I didn't even ask how much the cabanas were. So we had two pools to use and only went in the circular one which was nice enough, bath water temperature so great to cool down in. Pool service was limited so after one day I went and brought my own drinks in.
• The overall service of the hotel was poor. Rudeness all around. Only a couple of staff members were polite and curteous and helpful, the others, well, rude. I had an incident with a taxi driver (he drove us late at night around a empty parking lot to bump up his meter and when we got to our hotel I gave him only $1.5o in tip, only because I didn't want to stay around getting the change back. He demanded more of a tip and my daughter and I walk away with this taxi driver chasing us down the sidewalk yelling. I got my daughter to keep going and I tried to talk to the Caesar's taxi driver bell hop guy but he didn't want to listen, he was too busy getting people into cabs. I was quite shook up about that.
• Now for the good things....
• We spent the mornings by the pool. My daughter is very brown now and could handle the sun much longer than I could. I'm a nice shade of pink. Yes, with lots of sunscreen. I loved to be in the water and just walk around and be able to stretch out more and be "light" in the water. The daughter met a lifeguard who took her fancy so I tried to give her some private alone time, which a few days later became an issue, but that's another story... You had to get to the pooldeck early at 8am to find seatting because everyone wanted to be as close as possible to the pool, right behind those big damn beds that laid empty for the most part.
• We did lots of shopping and my daughter was happy about that. I loved the clothes she picked out. Myself, I treated myself to many many Pandora charms, some Crocs (I know, how boring), some uniforms (even more boring) and two purses that I just *heart* I didn't buy any gifts for any family or anything like that this time. I am so happy about my Pandora charms..... just just love love my bracelet! Thank you for the beautiful girl Rocketgirl - it just keeps on giving! (to me) :)
• Had some awesome meals. My favorite of course is my Luau Salad at The Cheesecake Factory and Godiva Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake. We ate there twice, had a French meal at Mon Gabi Ami; some sort of French Lemon Chicken and I even ate some of the green beans (ask my daughter for verification!)..Northern Chinese Restaurant where I had sauted noodles with chicken which my daughter insists was "chow mein" but I merely am repeating what the menu stated. Also a funky Cocounut Lycee cocktail which was, interesting. Also had good meals at the California Pizza place at Fashion show mall and lunch complete with famous Frozen Hot Chocolate at Serendipity 3. One night we had the obligatory room service and it was alright; just fun to do it.

That's it for now; it's the middle of the night and I'm dealing with a bit of a pain crisis. Changing one poison for another and it's a bumpy ride.

"The most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself & if you can find someone to love the you you love, well, that's just fabulous"

"“Never lose sight of the fact that the most important yardstick of your success will be how you treat other people - your family, friends, and coworkers, and even strangers you meet along the way. ”
Barbara Bush

VEGAS! Here we come!!!

please enjoy the picture heavy pictorial of our trip to Las Vegas.
will follow with some journalling soon!