(Parental Discretion Advised)

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Saturday, May 28, 2011

Blog You Must Follow!

If you don't already follow the imaginisce blog you really should start.  They give away AMAZING prizes all the time!  I, in fact, have won TWO so far.  The first was a paper package of the most amazing paper.  The second was the COMPLETE line of fabric and paper flowers, with the tools to roll them.  It arrived today.
    


Of course I had to make a flower right away.  I need a little practice with the rolling technique, so I only finished a layered flower.  The flower layers were all in a cute little paper purse.  (The pink one shown above.)
    


The package also included the Badge Pin Combo pieces.  These are neat because you can make one flower and wear it as a pin or as a hair accessory!
    

Of course, I would never GLUE the flower to the metal, I like to have options.  I used some fabulous Glue Arts massive glue dots to hold the velcro.  They aren't really dots, they are more large squares of intensive holding power. (Yeah, I won them too!)
   

I am pretty sure I have enough flowers for several lifetimes.  Or at least the next few weeks!

Thanks Imaginisce!

Happy Weekend,
Anne

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

book of the month

I forgot to put this in my previous post, I have another book recommendation.

Critical care : a new nurse faces death, life, and everything in between
by Brown, Theresa.

This book chronicles the first year of a nursing career, and it is really interesting.  Ms. Brown started out on a cancer ward, and the book covers her life, the patients, and the working environment.  Since I like looking into other people's lives, the book was great.  :)

  The reasons I really wanted to read it are twofold.  First, my sister recently told me of her first "code" where the person died, a few years ago when she worked as a cardiac rehab therapist.  The second is that my cousin started her nursing career as a pediatric cancer nurse, so the stories from this nurse's experiences gave me a glimpse into what Barb experienced.

It was both good and bad to read this book after my recent surgery.  Good because she says nurses are so used to dealing with poop that it doesn't faze them, which taught me that my fears of having an accident in the hospital were unfounded.  Bad because one of the code stories involved an old surgical incision that split open... wide open.... which is scary when you recently had surgery!

All in all, well worth checking out from the library. (I don't ever actually purchase books, lol!)

Anne

 

Octopi and the rest of the card class cards


I let all the niblings list their top picks for prizes as I have been feeling a bit off lately and need some distraction.   Strange things going on in my mind lately.  Pry the lupus is attacking it again... whatever.

So Tatie picked the Octopi.  (Is that a real word?  I don't have the energy to look it up!)
   

Here are the rest of the card class cards.  This one I picked so I could use the same supplies as the second grad card.  I had a PILE of one inch squares left over for the second card... but I wanted two (at least slightly) different cards.  I will let the ladies color the stamp if they want, but I liked it in black and white.
  


Jodi requested wedding cards.  This might be a bit whimsical, but I liked it.  I think of the trike and regular bike in the background as childhood and being single... and now the tandem bike is center stage.
   

In case Jodi didn't find the bike card acceptable, I wanted another choice.  I saw a technique online for inking embossing folders before embossing with them, so I tried it.  Worked great!  I remember one card class where I had people embossing on white-core cardstock and then sanding- didn't work out so well.  Neither did inking after embossing.  I think this will be easier for them.  :)
  

Have a good week!

Anne

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Men in Black and daisy power

Happy Saturday!

    I have made about five of these ninjas.  Sorry, my camera sucks on photographing black things!  I am getting better at the little silver stars tho...  :)  This one is for Logan.  He came over Thursday and demanded I make him something.  He made a list of about ten items, then I quit writing them down and made him list in order of wanting.  His number one pick was the mushroom family, and he wanted me to start right away.  Then he sat next to me saying "crochet faster!"  When he left, I promptly picked up my book and read the rest of the day... and the whole next day... then I remembered I said I would have something done by Sunday.  So today I made him a ninja cuz I knew I could finish it in only a couple hours.  Moral of the story- hollering "crochet faster!" does not appear to work.
    

This is a panda I made last week for Moo's birthday.  I found some patterns online and she picked the one she liked best.
  
This is another card for card class. I have about a million one inch white squares from last year's graduation card class card, so I wanted to use some of them up.  The beautiful flowers are from Paper Wishes.  I got a huge bundle of flowers for a great price.  I have several words to choose from so the ladies can pick their occasion.
              

Hope your weekend is great!

Anne

Monday, May 16, 2011

Another Baby and some dimensional cards


I love when I know who my baby is going to go to when I make it!  Here is the latest baby.  Will be giving it to a pregnant friend this week.
  

I purchased some dimensional image kits to use at card class.  Here are a couple samples I put together.
This one is just all circles, so you just have to line them up.
   

This one is a bit harder- it has lots of little pieces.  I didn't actually put them all on, I don't have any dimensional adhesive for such tiny pieces.   I think it looks nice anyways.  :)   I also think the adhesive foam I used was bit too thick on this one- I switched before I did the one up above to a softer foam so the pieces aren't quite so high.
     

Have a great week!  I am on antibiotics for another sinus infection, joy.   But I am six weeks post-op and feeling pretty good.


Anne

Friday, May 13, 2011

birthday cards

I am attending a family event tomorrow, and my cousin asked me to bring cards- baby and birthday.  She specified lady birthday and "no age jokes".  After checking my card rack, I realized I was sorely lacking in such cards!  So I made some this week.

I have a stack of card bases already decorated, so I mostly had to color the images and put the cards together.
  

Chocolate cake anyone?  Gotta love that!
   

The every popular silhouette!
   

This one says  "Have a sweet celebration!" 
  
 
Have a great weekend,
Anne

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there today!  I am a bit sad for some reason today.... It would make sense given that I am 40, have no kids, and recently had a complete hysterectomy, but in fact I have known for many years that I won't be having kids, and the surgery was a very happy event for me due to the pain and bleeding I have had for almost as many years!  In fact, I first became seriously ill when I was 18, was diagnosed with my first autoimmune disease, Lupus, at age 20 and decided shortly after that that I will not be having biological children.  My illnesses are hereditary, and I will not knowingly pass them on.  I accepted that very early on.  Plus, when I was around 30, I had to undergo chemotherapy.  Before I started, I had to talk to a professional about how the chemo meant I most likely would be sterile, and if I did get pregnant, the baby would be deformed and he/she plus me would all most likely die. 

So why am I sad today?  I don't know....
I know I won't be a Mother, and I have a very nice Mother. 

Perhaps I am just tired.  We have had lots of company the past four or so days!!

****

On to the cards.  I won (yay!) a HoneyPop set and had to make a sample card just to show everyone how cool the Honeycomb paper is.  I have always been in love with the decorations made with honeycomb paper.  Of course, once I saw how much fun HoneyPop is, I had to purchase more...
      
Here is the outside:
   

Surprise!
    

I also finished this pirate card recently.  The stamps are from the new A*muse catalog.
   

Hope you all have a great week!

Anne

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Crochet and a card

I have been waiting on some packages, one of things I purchased and two of things I have WON... and I haven't been too inspired to do cards without the new stuff.  Plus I have been working on envelopes and inside verses on the million cards I made before my surgery!

Instead, I have been crocheting.  First is Medusa, whipped up in advance of the 5 year old's birthday party last Sunday. (He also got the dog, shown earlier.)  He loves monsters, so I made this a few days before the party.
   

I recently realized, after hearing about a baby shower at the last minute, the lack of dolls in my gift bin.  I made this naked baby out of a new pattern.  I am working on a second, but I made the head a bit less oval.  (and the skin more of a tan...)  I like the diaper.  :)
  

Today when I was moaning about my packages coming, I remembered I had purchased some rose ribbon before my surgery.  I dug it out and made this card. 
    

I am not sure what I think of the way I used the ribbon... I have to look at how others use that type of ribbon for some better ideas!

Have a great week!

Anne