Fall-To Layout 88

All day meetings on Friday should not be allowed, but I guess that's when most people at work were available this week for some strategic planning because not many people have meetings on Friday. Even though it was an all day meeting, I did get breakfast and lunch out of it. :)

I went over to clean&simple for their card sketch today (#88). Even though it looks simple, I ran into a lot of difficulties with my first try. I was using a purple color scheme, but then I couldn't a) tie the ribbon right and b) after I tied it right, I didn't like the way I cut the ribbon ends and c) I thought the white cardstock piece had too much white space so I tried to fill it with something, but then I didn't stamp the images right. I recycled that card and started fresh with a new color scheme, this time pink. I thought the elements tied together and colors matched better in this card.

Card Specs:
Ink: Colorbox chalk ink in Chestnut Roan and Rose Coral
Punches: Fiskars Threading Waters border punch, We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper
Stamps: Hero Arts- Thinking of You Messages (sentiment), Inkadinkado- dots
Paper: My Mind's Eye- Bloom & Grow, Basic Grey (Bittersweet collection, Rocky Road paper)
Ribbon: From Michaels (?)

Stock up on cards in my Etsy shop...I'm having a sale :)

Purple Kick, Part 3

At work today, one of my former co-workers stopped by because she was in town visiting. We started at the organization on the same day, but she had to leave a few months later because she was got married and had to move to NYC. It was so nice to see her!

I didn't make it to spin class tonight (oops). Instead, I gave into the gravitational pull of my bed. I love naps. :)

For tonight's card, I'm still on my purple kick. I think it's really stemming from how much I like the Blackberry chalk ink I got this past weekend. I was having a tough time coming up with an idea for a card, so I started out with the different bands of color created by the criss-cross stamp. I tied the ribbon in a knot; it's strategically placed over a place that didn't stamp as well as I would have liked (the knot only took me 1 try...the practice must be helping!). Then I thought the top of the card needed something, but I didn't want it to be ink, so I put the scalloped border there. Then I was left with the white space. I knew I didn't want to take all of it up, so I figured a sentiment and some cute hearts would do just the trick. I wasn't sure what would come out of tonight's card making, but I'm happy with the end result.

Card Specs:
Ink: Colorbox chalk ink in Prussian Blue, Pink Peony, Blackberry
Stamp: Martha Stewart- Patterns (criss-cross pattern), Fiskars- Thank You (sentiment, heart)
Paper: Die Cuts With A View
Punches: Fiskars scalloped sentiment border punch, We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper

Real Housewives of NYC is almost on...must run! Happy Almost Friday! :)

31 Cent Scoop Night

Funny thing that happened at the office today: I went to our other office building across the street for a meeting. I was the only one in the conference room for a little bit. The conference room phone rings, and I pick it up. It was one of our IT guys- "Do you ever get the feeling that someone's watching you?" o_0 What? "Turn on the TV." And his face pops up! Apparently he was testing the webcam, and I just happened to be in the room. How funny but creepy at the same time.

Did anyone get ice cream at Baskin Robbins tonight? I did. It was 31 cent scoop night, I couldn't miss it! I almost did because the parking lot was very, very full. Every kid in town must have been there with their parents to get a purple/pink/green/blue ice cream cone. I got a scoop each of Rocky Road and Very Berry Strawberry. Mom got 2 scoops of the strawberry one and then shared a few licks with Ginger. The cat is very spoiled.

For tonight's card, I wanted to use some of the Basic Grey paper that I cut up last night to make matchbook notepads. Unfortunately, I didn't like the way the paper was folding, but I didn't want to just throw the cut pieces away. In an effort to salvage the paper, I punched out postage stamp pieces and then seal pieces from some brown cardstock. After adhering the paper and cardstock pieces, I stamped the sentiment, added the buttons with mini glue dots, and rounded two of the bottom corners. I didn't like the white space that was in between the paper pieces and the sentiment, so I added the dashed line. Ta da! Simple, but cute card. :)

Card Specs:
Ink: Colorbox chalk ink in Chestnut Roan and Rouge
Stamps: Fiskars- Girlfriend (sentiment), Autumn Leaves- Build-a-Flower (dashed line)
Punches: Marvy Uchida (postage stamp), Brenda Walton (seal), We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper
Paper: Basic Grey (Bittersweet collection, Rocky Road paper)
Buttons: Favorite Findings in Pink

400 Sales

Hooray, I reached 400 sales today at my Etsy shop! I am so thankful for the new buyers, repeat customers, and fans in general who continue to support my itty bitty card shop. Onward to 500 sales!

I went to Janice's spin class tonight. I had missed her 2 previous classes because of Dallas and being sick. I was a little nervous that she'd call me out on it, but whew, she didn't. Yay. One of the girls in the class ran a marathon last Saturday, go her! She mentioned something about running another one on Sunday. Holy. Cow.

Tonight, I decided to take a little break from card making and work on some matchbook notepads. I had a bunch of scrapbook paper laying around from a previous Ebay auction win, and I thought this would be a quick and easy way to use it up. Don't you just love the bright colors? I think they look rather cheerful. They kinda remind me of summer, which is just around the corner. Whoo hoo!

Last season of The Hills is starting soon...gotta go!

Purple Kick Continues

For a Monday, today went well.

• I managed to get to work 30 minutes before I normally do. I fumbled around looking for my cell phone this morning when the alarm went off, so I figured that since I was awake, I might as well muster the effort and get out of bed.
• I went to Anna's 1-hour spin class tonight. I hadn't been in 2 weeks (1 week because I was in Dallas and last week because I was sick). It's nice to sorta be getting back in the swing of things.
• I saw a girl that I went to high school with, so it was nice to catch up with her for a little bit. "Cute gym front desk guy" was working tonight too (extra bonus).

I forgot to mention yesterday that there was a children's art display in the mall. I stopped by to look at the artwork after I went to the post office. I was so impressed by the talent, especially in the digital art and linoleum print sections. And these were middle schoolers! Maybe they will be future Etsians. :)

I decided to continue my purple kick today with this card tonight. This was my first time using the flower stamp, and I love it! I like the variety of flowers included in just one stamp. I wasn't going to put a sentiment on the front, but then I found a "celebrate" stamp that I hadn't used before. I was going to handwrite something, but I don't think my handwriting is card-front worthy. This card was also a good opportunity to practice my knot tying skills.

Card Specs:
Ink: Colorbox chalk ink in Blackberry and Rouge
Stamps: Inkadinkado (flowers), Fiskars- Baby (sentiment)
Punches: Fiskars Threading Waters border punch, We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper
Paper: Martha Stewart

Did anyone watch 24 tonight? Pretty good episode, right? I can't believe there are only 5 hours left! AH! Also, new season of The Hills starts tomorrow and Real Housewives of NJ next week. ::happy dance::

CPS #164

Today was a (_) good day, (_) bad day. Check one.

Today was a (X) good day, (_) bad day. :)

Let me elaborate.

• Ah, got a good night's sleep due to clean, freshly laundered sheets.
• Woke up to a sale.
• Didn't make it to spin class this morning, BUT I did go to the gym (to watch reruns of The Hills, hah!)
• Cute front gym desk guy was working this morning, extra bonus.
  
• Ate yummy potato salad and pasta salad leftover from last night's family BBQ.
• Ate Edy's peach pie ice cream. I haven't had ice cream in what seems like forever.
  

Even though I went to ACMoore on Friday night and didn't find anything that I really wanted or needed, I saw that they were having a sale on cardstock this week. Overheard at ACMoore today:

• Little girl- "Oooo, that's SO pretttyyy." Yes, honey, that's how they getcha. With really pretty packaging and colors. Welcome to my world.
• Girl talking to her friend in the scrapbook paper aisle- "I buy paper that looks so pretty, but then I don't know what to do with it." Ah, yes. I feel that way often.

For tonight's card, my goal was to use the new chalk ink that I bought today. The card was inspired by CPS's #164. Tonight, I used the emboss resist technique, which means you heat emboss with some sort of embossing powder and then you use a cotton ball, tissue, or something similar to add color to the cardstock. I heat embossed the flower image with white embossing powder and then added color using a tissue. I didn't want to go with all purple, so I blended in some blue too.

Card Specs:
Embossing powder: Stampendous! in clear and white
Embossing ink: VersaMark
Ink: Colorbox chalk ink in Blackberry, Ink It Up! in Lavender and French Blue
Stamps: Fiskars- Thank You (sentiment), K.I. Memories-Blooms (flowers), Inkadinkado- swirl
Foam Adhesive: Making Memories
Punches: Fiskars Threading Waters border punch, We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper

**SALE ALERT**
Oh, P.S. in an effort to clear some inventory, I'm having a sale over at my shop! Until May 2, 11:59 PM EST, buy 2 cards, get 1 FREE. Purchase all 3 cards and get the least expensive card for free. Refund via Paypal. Happy browsing! :)

Fall-To Layout 87

Greetings, folks...happy Friday! First, I'd like to give a BIG shout out to fellow Marylander, Joyce! Thank you for featuring me in your blog today and for your kind convo message this evening! To read her post, click here.

I forgot to mention a random thing that I saw yesterday yesterday. I was stopped at a stop light and I saw this lady, teetering on red high heels. In one hand was her purse and in the other, her recent beverage purchase from Starbucks. She was leaning to one side and walking funny, and then I realized that she was talking on the phone, holding it up to her ear with her shoulder. Yeahhh. I was thinking "OMG, pleasedontfallpleasedontfallitsrushhourpleasedontfall." I think she made it across the street okay. Hey, lady! That's why those engineers created Bluetooth!

After dinner tonight, I went to Michaels and ACMoore and (gasp!) didn't by a THING from either store. Shocking, I know. I did come back with chocolate though, from CVS. I swear, it has medicinal qualities! Thank you, Hershey. While walking up and down the aisles at ACMoore, I did notice that they had WRMK Corner Chompers back in stock. ::insert wail of anguish:: I just bought one off Ebay! I could have used a 40% coupon if I had just waited a week. Bah, oh well. Also, I found out that Inkadinkado has a whole new line of ink pads, markers, and other stamping goodies. Who knew? I didn't.

For today's card, I went over to clean&simple and found a lovely versatile sketch (#87). Even though there's a lot of white space left, I think all the elements balance out really nicely. As you can see, I used the Corner Chomper a lot in this card. I think the rounded corners make the card look...softer? Or less stiff? Is that possible? Maybe it's just my imagination.

Card Specs:
Ink: Colorbox chalk ink in Chestnut Roan, Yellow Ochre, Amber Clay
Stamp: K.I. Memories-It's a Girl (flowers), Fiskars- sentiments (sentiment)
Paper: My Mind's Eye- Bloom & Grow
Foam Adhesive: Making Memories
Punch: EK Success Circle punch (1 3/8 inch), EK Success Scalloped Circle punch (2 inch), We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper

By the way, have you seen the latest Eclipse trailer? Wow, right? I guess that means I have to find the book at the library and finish it since I was about 3/4 of the way through before I had to return it. I'm not a HUGE fan of the series, but if I had to be on a team, I'd choose Team Jacob.