birthday cards

I love CardMaker magazine. It has wonderful cards that can be copied or a jumping off point for a design of your own. I copy. These cards are based on a card designed by Suzanne Dean called Sweet Peas in the March 2010 issue. This stamp set is called Enjoy Every Moment by CTMH. I think it might be one of my favorites. These flowers are beautiful and they are fun to color.
I will have to check the calendar at work, but I know there are at least two birthdays coming up and maybe more.
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more file folder note pads

These are fun, quick, easy and inexpensive to make. They probably cost around $1 to make. The file folder cost $0.25 each, the note pads were less than $0.50 each, a little piece of ribbon, a couple strands of tacky tape, a velcro dot, a three inch piece of hemp, oh I almost forgot a rub-on on the tag.
I took two with me yesterday to the Michelle Zindorf workshop. Just to say thank you to the lady hosting the workshop and Michelle for coming to Jacksonville. Did I already tell you this? I got that deja vu feeling while I was typing so I may have already told you about them.
Well it is late on a Sunday night and I have to be up early so I am going to say good night.
Thanks for tuning in. Good Night

Michelle Zindorf Workshop cards

Woo hoo!!!!!

I got to sit at the feet of the Master Brayer, Michelle Zindorf. Truly nice lady. The workshop was three hours long, not nearly long enough. The one I attended was her beginner's workshop. She was hosting an advanced workshop today, but, sigh, I didn't sign up when I should have. In fact, the only reason I got in at all was earlier this week she had a cancellation and I happened to notice online and immediately claimed it. There we 10 ladies in my group and there must have been 10 in the earlier group. Several ladies came from, not just miles away, but hours away. One from Palm Beach which I know is 4 plus hours, as I used to live down there, and several ladies came from Tallahassee which is three hours away. I got my first Stampin' Up stamp set.

These are the beautiful cards I made. The reason there are two of the last one is because she does a drawing and that lucky lady gets the card she has just made. She even signed it. I think it would be nice to mat it and put it on a little picture stand in my scrap room. I am not even going to point out all my mistakes. You can see them for yourself. I do know they are there, but couldn't help sharing anyway.

I wish I had time to play, but I have to finish a layout for a gathering tomorrow night make some hostess gifts and it is already 6:30. Off to get some scrappin' done

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invitation copied right from Karen Pedersen

Last week Karen posted an invitation or reminder about a meeting and I thought it was perfect for my needs so I copied it. Use the link to check out Karen's and see how closely I kept to hers. She used hearts, I used our new flower set, Enjoy Every Moment. Isn't it beautiful? Both the invitation and the flower. I love the elegant look of the flowers and the elegant look of the invitation. What can I say? I am quite pleased with it.
There are two other flowers that come in the stamp set one is more of a weed like dandelions and the other is not so elegant, but just as pretty.
I thought I would be in bed early tonight. I better get a move on.
You will never in a million years guess what I am doing this weekend. Do you give up? I am so excited I can hardly spit it out - I am going to a Michelle Zindorf Workshop. Yup yup, isn't that exciting? She is going to be in town for the weekend and believe it or not, just 15 minutes from my house. That is quite remarkable considering Jacksonville is the largest city in the US - area wise. Do not for one minute think that I will be able to create the beautiful work that Michelle puts out, but I may learn some new techniques. woo hoo!!!! If you aren't familiar with her work click on her name and take a gander at her beautiful artwork.

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file folder notepads

Did you see the tutorial from SCS - Split Coast Stampers? Too cool. I made three of them today in just a short amount of time. They really are quick and easy. Well, I shouldn't really say easy because the first three attempts I got them backwards. The flap is supposed to be on the right side as it is on this one for Jill. See the tag hanging from the ribbon?
Check out the tutorial on SCS. My first two are a little too large. The tut calls for using a colorful file folder. Michael's has them 4 for $1.00 in their dollar bin. I wish I had gotten them when I saw the Mary Engelbreit folders. Then you need the junior legal pads 5X8", a piece of ribbon and a spot of velcro.
The score lines in the tut are half inch apart, but I find that 3/8" worked better for me. The dimensions leave a good half inch to an inch on either side of the pad of paper and I felt it was a little too much so I cut them down just a bit. See the difference on the sides of the note pads. Almost an inch on each side of the ones for Faye and Sharon. The bottom fold is supposed to be 3 and 1/8 high, I made mine about 3 and 3/8. It may just be that my folders were larger than the ones used in the tut. Another thing that was unusual about the red flowered folders is the center score line there were 4 lines already on it. On the lavender folders, there was only one center score line. I didn't want to put too much into embellishing them as most of them will be carried in purses and the paper flowers don't travel too well. I used parts of the file that I cut off to make the tags. I punched a square, rounded the corners and then punched a circle and used rub ons for the names.
I hope you will play around with them and post what you come up with.
Thanks for tuning in.
Leslie

card for Nephew

I am finally getting my nephew's wedding present packed to go in the mail and made this very simple card to go with it. I bought a punch at Michael's that has three flowers and three small bits that can go in the center of the flowers. You can see the flowers that are made with the punch in the upper corner of the card. Would you believe I struggled with this card. I have lots of magazines that I could get ideas from and I visit hundreds of blogs and could get ideas from those, but then I sit down at my scrap desk and start thinking. I'll pull out this paper and try that idea and then pull out something different and try that idea. I had some chipboard letters that I used some embossing powder on and didn't like those, so I covered them in the sweet leaf card stock and didn't like that. I was going to put a diagonal stripe across it, but didn't like that either. Do you usually have an idea before you get started?
Must be tired.
Thanks for tuning in.
Leslie

computer crashed, health issues etc...

Hi all, I know I haven't had much to say lately or show you. I haven't really created much. I have been busy with work and not feeling well, lots of medical issues right now.
My computer crashed and without thinking I indiscriminately wiped it clean. Not sure all that I have lost yet.
I am sure you don't want all the details of my health so I will just share the high points. Can there be high points to health. Then again they are not really the high, but the low points. After a year of not seeing the doctor I find that I am having issues with my thyroid. Apparently, I have a nodule that needs to be seen by a specialist. My bronchitis has subsided, but I am still coughing somewhat and only somewhat because it hurts too badly to cough, breathe, sneeze or even move. Did I mention breathe? I have what is called costochondritis. I probably say ooowwww 1000 or more times a day. It is some kind of inflammation around or near the ribs.
I have lots to do this weekend and once I get done with all the busy work I may go into my scrap room and play. I was trying to get goodies made for the teachers and faculty at the school only to realize there are over 80 people I need to make goodies for. I am halfway through with them so what do I do with them? I have to finish them and take them to school on Tuesday. Woo hoo I have Monday off.
I have to pack up some things and get them to the UPS or PO, I have some taxes to get filed. My daughter and her boyfriend are most anxious to get their taxes filed as they are both hoping to get money back.
No rest for the weary they say. I find that I am going to have to cut back on my activities in order to restore my health. Sometime soon.
One last thing I need to mention. I don't like the way I have my comments set up. I get too much spam and think that might be part of why my computer crashed so I am going back to the old way of comment moderation. To be perfectly honest I just wasn't paying attention and my anti-virus software expired and I was too lazy to take notice and reinstall it. My own doggone fault.
Sorry folks, I hope that won't deter everyone from leaving comments.
I haven't reloaded any of what I saved to my flash drive so I don't even have my live signature. I have to take the time to scan the flash drive before I can upload anything.
Thanks for tuning in. I hope all my blogging buddies are well and will be checking in soon.
Leslie

another Bigsby birthday card

I just noticed that there are a lot of birthdays in February. My own son turns 17 next week. No, this card isn't for him. This is for a friend who was a Close To My Heart Consultant. I don't know what it is about Bigsby that brings out the colorful in me. Each time I make a card with him I find that I use primary colors. This paper is Close to My Heart's Birthday Bash, long ago retired. I don't bring it out too often.
Bigsby is one of Karen's Doodles. In fact, he was the first of her precious character images that she shared with anyone. My friend and Karen's friend, Dawn, over at Dawn's Craft Place introduced me to Karen and Bigsby. I hope you will check out her blog. There are a lot of bloggers that post and sell digital images. Karen's style really speaks to me.
Have you ever used a digital image? Don't get me wrong, I love my Close to my Heart acrylic stamps, but there is something about digital images that can't be beat. You can make them any size you want, you can flip them, you can mirror them. Try them, you will be glad you did.
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twice in one day after nothing for many many days - hmmmmm

I saw a card on Kathi's blog over at Kathi's Corner and loved it. Check out her blog for some great artwork and her stories about her grandsons. Not only is she a great artist, she is the best grandma ever.

My Card

I needed a sympathy card. My daughter's boyfriend lost his grandmother this weekend and I wanted to send a card. I love most everything that Kathi makes. She is so creative and her style is one I admire.
I wasn't sure about bling on a sympathy card, but I think it can stand for the many jewels in Judi's crown. She was very sweet to my daughter. Kindness goes a long way with this mama bear.
Thanks for tuning in again.

Wedding gift

The front the of the Memory Keeper
Memory Keeper from the side
Detail from one of the inside pages
Memory keeper with memory showcase inside. (I didn't remove the cover to the adhesive when I unfolded the box in case the couple wants to fold it up again for storage)
Front of the Memory Showcase ( a 9X9 accordion album)
Inside of the accordion album
Two more pages of the album
The back of the album
The inside of the back side of the album

The beautiful blushing bride. I have to say she was extremely brave to plan an outdoor wedding for January and wear a spaghetti strap dress. The weather cooperated by being sunny and warm. Two hours away in Jacksonville, it was gray, wet, dreary and cold. The wedding was held at the boy's father and step-mother's house. They had a huge tent set up for the dinner with the ceremony held outside of the tent with seating around an arch and a patio for dancing. Huge back yard.
The bride, groom and best man (who is also the groom's older brother)
The best man, also one of my gorgeous nephews.
The bride with her mother-in-law. Already the best of friends.
The groom with his mother, also the best of friends.

I finally got my nephew's wedding present completed. Only a week late, but I was in no shape to get it done last week.
The photos I saw of the wedding helped make me feel like I had been there. Beautiful bride and, oh my, the groom is incredibly handsome. He is over 6'5" and towers over his mere 5'2" relatives.
This gift is from Close to my Heart. The box is called the Memory Keeper and the album is called the Memory Showcase. The album fits nicely inside the box as you can see and there is room for other mementos of the day like cards or garter or things like that. The front of the album is the actual wedding invitation. It came as one piece with the side flaps holding the directions and the RSVP card and envelope. I kind of cut it apart to use as part of the gift. The black satin ribbon is from it also.
I got the Martha Stewart heart border punch. Isn't it darling? I was able to sort through the punch detritus and rescue the little hearts to use, cute huh?!?.
I got ideas for the different pages in the album from everywhere and took something from this and a little from that. As you can see the accent color is a soft green. The men all had on green satin vests and the bridesmaids flowers were a pale green.
There are way too many items to name so if you have a burning desire to know what or where I got bits and pieces or what I used leave a comment for me.
Thanks for tuning in.

guilty without even knowing it

I have just discovered that I am supposed to feel guilty when I don't post. As I told my friend Kathi over at Kathi's Corner - now I have something else to worry about - NOPE, not happening. Life is too short and too busy to get wrapped up in guilt over my blog. I love all my blogging friends. There are so many days that you all keep me going. You are such a gift to me. Thank you for checking my blog and commenting on my artwork and such that I post.

I will have some beautiful, even if I do say so myself, artwork to show you soon, I hope. I am working on my nephew's wedding present. That happened yesterday, without me, I am sorry to say.
I have been sick for going on 4 weeks now. It started with a cough & runny nose, turned into an upper respiratory infection and is now bronchitis. I really have been trying to take care of myself with Mucinex and Nyquil and nasal irrigation. Apparently, I wasn't doing enough. I haven't had much energy to do anything but go to work, go to work, come home and work some more, watch a little tv and go to bed. No that wasn't a typo, when I leave the school I go to a real estate office a few times a week and do the books there, then when I get home I do the books for other offices. I guess I should say I have a bookkeeping business on the side. The accountant I was working with for a few months, showing him how I do the books, has another real estate company he has recommended me to. (He told me I was the best bookkeeper he'd ever worked with - only after I asked him if he knew of any other bookkeepers that are as anal as I am). It has been about 4 weeks now because I told him I didn't want to go in there hacking and coughing. I didn't think it would make a good impression. My doctor gave me an injection of antibiotics and a prescription that should be taking care of all this. He said I would feel so good by Monday I wouldn't be able to stand myself. WELLLLLL I am still waiting. I went to bed around 3 yesterday and got up for some homemade chicken soup and went back to bed until this morning.
Enough complaining. Did I complain enough about not getting to go to the wedding, hmmmm. I missed getting to see my sisters and brother, my nephews, my nephews' grandparents - people I don't get to see but every 10 years or so, and think the world of. They are in their 80s now and I was really looking forward to seeing them. I do not really have a biologic brother, but my sister's husband has been in the family since I was about 8 or 10 and of all the people I love he is on the top of my list.
Okay, I am done. I am going to get a shower and see if I feel any better. I have to run an errand for my principal. I was supposed to do it Friday after I left school, but came home and laid down instead. I am torn between getting more rest and seeing if moving about will give me more energy. Oh, yeah I told a friend I'd bring her an idea book. She works at Walmart as a licensed optician and I am sure I can think of something I need once I get in there.
Wish me luck with this daggone infection.
Thanks for tuning in and NO I refuse to feel guilty. As several of my sisters say "get over it!"
Luv ya'll

card makers must see

Matt makes a card
If you want a 5 minute laugh, click on this link. It is the funniest thing I have seen in so very long. Judianne Graham found this youtube video and posted it on the artwork bulletin board at ctmh and I have watched it twice and still can't stop laughing. Honestly I don't know how the person behind the camera filmed it with out cracking up.
Thanks for tuning in.