Fall-To Layout #266

Among a flurry of emails yesterday, I got an email from Human Resources requesting 60+ cards.  I would have worked on some samples last night, but I was way too tired to be crafty.  Fortunately, they gave me 2 weeks to work on it, so that's plenty of time.

My co-worker Jennifer also emailed me yesterday, saying that her younger sister had gotten into cardmaking.  She wanted to give her some crafty supplies for Christmas and wanted to see if I had any recommendations.  Oh, yes.  I wrote a lengthy email...a long categorized list of supplies and some links.  I got a reply email that started with WOW! in size 18 font.  I can't wait to hear what she came up with.

Card: Here's my take on Fall-To Layout #266.  I was working on some holiday penguin cards and the first penguin was too big, so I decided to not let the origami embellishment go to waste so I used it for this card instead.
Card Specs:
Ink: Colorbox chalk ink in Blackbird
Stamps: Studio G
Paper: My Mind's Eye- Countdown to Christmas
Punch: We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper
Other: Black Sharpie Ultra Fine Point marker

Quick Trip to Atlanta

For such a short trip, it was so stressful!

Metro was having delays so I was already having heart palpitations on whether I'd be able to get to the gate in time.  I was able to...right when they were boarding first class and Zone 1.  Whew!  The couple next to me was bickering a little, but I tuned it all out by sleeping the whole way there.

When I got to Atlanta, I checked my phone and saw that a bunch of emails came though.  More than usual, and then I realized that it was because Outlook wasn't working yesterday. ARGH!  I noticed one email from the company that we were meeting with today. They needed authorization to attend the meeting since the purchase order hadn't been signed it.  They wanted something on letterhead and I only sent authorization via email.  Ugh, this is horrible.

My next goal was to find wireless Internet after getting off the plane.  I put on my best smile and asked one of the gate attendants where there was wi-fi in the airport.  "Oh, you have to pay for it."  I think he took pity on me for looking defeated.  "Well, here's a little secret, and don't you go telling anyone.  If you get close enough to the Sky Miles Lounge, you might be able to access their wireless."

Woot!  I found the lounge, and of course, my heart sang when my laptop was able to lock in on their Internet.  A half-hour later, I sent off a few emails and was off to find a taxi to get to CDC.

After checking in with the project officers, I went to lunch with my boss.  At the CDC cafe, I say someone that I went to high school with. I saw him a few years ago in Denver at another public health meeting. After chatting for a little bit, I said goodbye so that he could eat his lunch and I went back to sit with my boss.  She was like, "Well, he's not wearing a wedding ring."  OMG, hah.  He's engaged and by the way, just because he's single doesn't mean I want to date him! :P

The meeting with the focus group facilitator and notetaker went well.  We were discussing the focus group guide to prepare for the December 4 focus groups that we're planning.  After the 2-hour meeting, it was off to the airport again. 

Left the house at 6 this morning, returned at 9 PM.  Whew.  Long day.

One-Layer Wednesday #165

Here's my take on One-Layer Wednesday #165, where the challenge was to make a holiday card without red or green.  I went with blue, brown and a little bit of silver.

Card Specs:
Ink: Colorbox chalk ink in Prussian Blue and Chestnut Roan
Stamp: Stampin' Up- Christmas Deer, Inkadinkado- Holiday Expressions
Punch: We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper
Other: Liquid Pearl in Silver, Brown Sharpie Ultra Fine Point marker

Tomorrow I'm heading to Atlanta.  I head out first thing in the morning and then come back late at night.  I suppose I could have stayed overnight, but sleeping in my own bed at night is totally worth the trouble.  The funny/weird/eye-roll worthy thing is that I'm going to be spending more time in-transit via car, subway, and airplane than actually in the meeting, which is only 2 hours! 

New Nails

Nails: This is two coats of Sally Hansen Insta-Dri in Quick Jeanious.  It's a really beautiful deep blue, almost bordering on purple.  This was part of the Sally Hansen Fall 2013 line.  I also picked up Jet Set Jade, but returned it last week because it was very close to OPI's Cuckoo For This Color, which I already own.

Snail Mail: My goal from Saturday was to send out 10 cards and I reached my goal!  I'm excited to send them off to folks in the next few days.

Fall-To Layout #265

Spin class: Janice had a substitute today.  At first, I wasn't sure how this class was going to go because you never know with subs.  However, I actually really enjoyed it!  The substitute was an older guy, like a dad figure.  I mean, he needed reading glasses to read the iPhone or iPod that he had music on.  The music was great too.  He was from Boston and was channeling the Boston Red Sox World Series win because the music he had was all related to Boston somehow..."Sweet Caroline", "I'm Shipping Off to Boston", "The Impression that I Get", "Walk This Way"etc.

Food: I made a pot of spaghetti sauce this afternoon.  For something different (or really for cost saving), I cut up a few stalks of some sad looking wilty celery that was in the fridge into the pot.  No need to throw it away if it still looks edible, right?

Fall-To Layout #265: Here's my take on this sketch.  I'm already getting into the holiday spirit and thinking about holiday cards that I want to send out to folks.  Time to get started on those!
Card Specs:
Ink: Stampin' Up in Not Quite Navy and Cherry Cobbler
Stamps: Studio G (sentiment), Stampendous- Jumbo Snowflakes
Punch: We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper
Other: Stickles

Fun Snail Mail

Fun snail mail: I posted this on my facebook feed this morning...

I want to try something new for November. These cards have been sitting in a box for the past few months, feeling slightly unloved. I'd like to send them out, but I only have a limited number of snail mail addresses.

If you are interested in receiving one of these cards before Thanksgiving, please Facebook message me your snail mail address. I'll take the first 10 people. Immediate family members and current co-workers are welcome to "enter", but I'm going to limit it to one each for this batch because most of you have received cards from me before, whether through HR or me personally. If this little experiment goes well, I'll do the same thing for December.

A little something to brighten people's days, just because. Don't be shy! Good luck! 

I got 6 takers so far.  I'm thinking about reposting tomorrow so that I can get all 10 cards out like I planned.

Trip to Safeway: a new Safeway opened up down the street about a week ago so I wanted to check it out in all its new and shiny glory.  I was also armed with a bunch of coupons that came with a promotional brochure that I got in the mail.  While the store was very nice, I witnessed some not-so-night behavior from adults.  I wanted to ask one of the staff a question about the coupon and before I could get my question out, the woman snapped at me "Honey, I don't know where anything is in the store.  I'm the sample lady."  Geeze, fine.  I'll ask someone else!  Then in the yogurt aisle, a customer was asking a store person, "Is this the variety of yogurt you have?" She was trying to get the store brand yogurt that was in the coupon book.  The guy said yes. "Well, this isn't a large variety." Well, don't bite that guy's head off.  No one said that you had to buy the store brand.  If you want variety like Fage, take 2 steps to the left, mkay?  Maybe these ladies were just having a bad day...

Among the coupons that I had, I was able to get a loaf of French bread and a 24 oz. soup for free!  I also had a buy $50 worth of food and get $10 off.   My heart was filled with joy when I saw the numbers go down down down on the register.  I know...a little weird.  But I love saving money!

Movie: I was able to snatch Monsters University at Redbox today so Julie came over to watch it with me.  It was cute, but I wouldn't say that I loved it more than the first one.  It was still early in the night so we watched Monsters, Inc. too.

Hooray for Friday!

RJ has the right idea...

After turning off my work computer today, I went to the mall...

• Target to return a nail polish that I already had a similar color of (surprisingly this is the first time this has happened) and a light bulb that I thought I needed but really didn't.  Bought 2 bags of Halloween candy 30% off (Heath and peanut butter M&Ms).  I shared some with Julie to reduce the guilt.
• Bath and Body Works.  I wanted to get one of those scent things for my car.  I cashed in on their buy 4 get 2 free deal on the car items and with the coupon I had with me, I got a free lotion.  I went with Twisted Peppermint, so now I'm going to be smelling minty fresh for the next 2 months.
• Macy's was decked out with holiday stuff already.  Man, they are quick!
• Went to Costco and got 2 slices of cheese pizza.  I went to my parents' house to share the pizza with Julie.