Oy Veh already!!

Sorry folks, been out of commission for quite a while.

First, I got socked with that nasty illness. I spent a good part of November and just about all of December fighting some infection/virus that refused to repsond to any medication I took. I was put on double doses of steroids and that started to do the trick, but they ran out and I couldn't take any more for at least a week, and then put back on them for another week. Let me just say that I did not enjoy the steroids. I spiraled between sheer exhaustion and something that was almost manic with energy. Same went for eating. Poor Mike, he was convinced he'd come home one night to find me curled up in a corner on the garage floor gnawing on a deer leg bone (which we did have available at the time...don't ask.) Considering I have been a vegeterian for 30+ years, it would have been a real sight. But there were some nights that I could also see this happening.

Then, just as I'm getting better and approaching "normal" again, my PC decided to fry itself. It wouldn't quite boot up. After another lovely experience with HP, the warranty I purchased from Staples for just such an event, and those oh-so-reliable people at FedEx, I finally got the recovery discs I needed...Friday. As in 3 days ago. It crashed 12/30. I ordered them online 12/31. They arrived 1/14. I paid for 1-2 day shipping. See where this is heading?

I was able to get all my stuff backed up (bad girl, it was not done regularly and I have had this happen before so no excuses), so I lost no photos, work stuff, music, etc. Mike finished getting it set up again this weekend.

So, there you have it.

I held a couple of 20 page layout "classes" this weekend, feeling like I need to use my stuff and get back to scrapbooking. No sense in having the office, reorganizing my stuff, culling out what I don't use and, of course, continue to buy crap if I'm not going ot use it. So there's my resolution. I'll leave "losing weight" to other people who really will. ;) My resolution - scrap more with friends. Finally, something I think I can stick to. :)

As always, thanks for stopping by!

How is it possible...

that I'm STILL sick. We're going on a month here people, and I am still not well. :( I do feel better since being on the steroids, but by "better" I mean about as great as I did 3 weeks ago. That wasn't so hot, but at least I could function. I'm told I won't be feeling "well" until January at the earliest. Humbug.

To make matters worse, Mike may be coming down with something. I've been told one of us has to leave if he does. I vote for him. ;)

Hope everyone is busy creating some nice cards and things for the holidays! I got 3/4 of my cards sent out, just a few more to finish making and then several more to address. Will share next time.

Still not dry...

You probably have a group of scrap friends just like mine. One of us sees seomthing new, she tell us about it (posting on FB, our Group site, etc.)...and the rest of us squeal with delight and pledge to buy it RIGHT NOW off the Internet. I will be the first to admit, I generally lead the charge and am never the voice of reason. Never.

A friend posted a new punch item many weeks ago now, and the ooooo's and ahhhhh's started up right away. Clearly I was coming down with something even then, because I found myself posting "you really don't need that, you can do the same thing with Nesties." I could hardly believe my own eyes. Was that my name next to that post? Had I actually said I didn't need something new? That's just crazy talk.

But alas, 'twas me. And to prove my point, I actually broke out some Nesties and made a card. But then I took it a step further, and then one more. I stamped on acetate, colored with Sharpies, used my Liquid Glass, embossed with a Cutttlebug folder, and even colored over those embossed flakes with a glitter pen. But it still didn't look right...and then I remembered...white craft ink. So I colored this little guy on the back with the ink, and voila:

So here's the catch. I made this card on October 13th. The craft ink is still tacky. I tried a heat gun (but it didn't agree with the acetate.) Seriously...I could still grab some embossing powders and they would work just fine. I literally just touched it again and, yep, still not dry...

As always, thanks for stopping by! Please be sure to leave your blog address for me so I can check out your work as I find time to troll the blog scene!

So much for the grand plan

I was doing well with my weekly posts. I had them set up, ready to run on Thursdays. Then came progress reports, my birthday, Halloween (a big deal in this house!), and Mike's "other hobby" in the Fall. Add an injury (from stupidity), two illnesses, a sick husband, a family dinner, and 4 days home sick from work and you have...no blog updates.

I am upright & awake for the second day in a row, so that's promising. The meds the Doc insisted on giving me seem to be making me worse (or just not working) - should have insisted on my tried and true antibiotic despite her objections. May be heading back there to get the good stuff yet...

I do have a few things to share and will post them soon. For now, I'm busy dealing with 2 of the side effects of this medication - confusion & a swollen tongue. This is important to note because Mike "insists" he marreid me for my benefits & insurance plans. (He's kidding. Mostly.) He gets nothing if I die under suspicious circumstances, I made sure of that. His new theory (or maybe idea)? If I fall down the stairs to my office because I am "confused" and can't yell for help because of a "swollen tongue" he gets it all...because that is not suspicious. It was "medically ordered."

Good thing he's away or I'd really have to watch my back for the next 7 days. ;)

For those of you who are local...

...do you know that a bunch of us get together on a regular basis to stamp, scrap, and generally have a good time? Well, we do!! I am the Organizer for one of the longest-running Scrapbook & Stamping Meetup.com groups on Long Island. We have all ages and ability levels and, of course, lots of different product favorites! We have card classes, layotu classes, techniques classes, and plain, old fashioned "crops" in my "cave."

Interested in making some new crafty friends or seeing what we're about? Join us! There's a free membership option so there's no obligation - hope you'll check us out at:

http://www.meetup.com/stamp-and-scrap

Speaking of having fun with our group, here's another card I made using Judy's stash that same night I posted about last week. CTMH design from Wishes/Originals using all SU! products. What do you think?

I hope you'll check us out if live on Long Island! As always, thanks for stopping by!

Always the rule-breaker ;)

I went to my pal & SU! Demo (excuse me, Supervisor) extraordinaire Judy's house to get inky on World Card Making Day. Of course, I had a hefty bag of tools and basics and card bases...but no paper. I had my CTMH How-To books with me and created this card using SU! products. Yes, I know...so much for a CTMH posting. Those How-To books work with ALL products, not just CTMH's. They're great for using up your stash. Or in this case, Judy's stash.

I did manage to make a couple of cards that night, which is a real feat for me. I have no creativity, I'm a CASEr for sure. Good thing I have those books...

As always, thanks for looking! (Please leave me your blog address so I can check out your work, too!!)

Christmas already?

Tomorrow evening I have a few friends coming over for my last Monthly Holiday Card Workshop of 2010. While I was unable to keep up with my 5 cards at each workshop, I do have way more now than I did this time last year...and the pieces ready to go of all those I didn't get to do. A request was made for 2 cards this month to cover November as well (we make 5 identical cards, so this would be 5 cards of 2 different designs.) I am half way done with the second card, but here is the first:

Here is a better view of the insert:

Supplies: CTMH Mistletoe Creative Basics kit, St. Nick stamp set, Colonial White ribbon, New England Ivy cardstock, New England Ivy ink, Cranberry Marker, Liquid Glass, Texture Tools, Edge Distresser; circle punch, Sizzix Big Shot, SU! Top Note die.

I used Liquid Glass on the berries both on the outisde of the card and on the insert. I'm not very good at getting it perfect, but I thought it needed a little something and this is what I came up with.

I'm considering changing that circle to Cranberry CS...what do you think?

As always, thanks for looking!