Pretty Cards, Easy Flowers, and a personal note.

Hello stampers!

The weather here in Eastern Washington has been warmer and dryer than usual, but without any sunshine. So please forgive the dreary photos! :)

I worked on these last week, and thought they were worthy to share. Hope you like them! The sentiment is from Verve Stamps, the half pearls are Martha Stewart, and everything else is Stampin' Up! products, tools, and stamps. {Sorry.....Cuttlebug folder too!}
I keep seeing these really pretty, vintage looking flowers popping up all over stamping land, and wondered how I could make some too, with stuff I already own. So, after rifling through my entire stamping station, I came up with this. I used the Flower Fusion Sizzlet die available through SU, and for each flower cut out 2 of the largest flower, and 1 of the medium. I stacked them together and stitched the corduroy button on. Then I rolled all the petals over the button and between my fingers to curl them up. Ba-da-boom! Awesome right? You can also use the corduroy brads for this, by simply piercing the stacked flowers and inserting the prongs through. Curl as desired. Cute huh? You could even sponge some color onto the petals before assembling them for added contrast and dimension. Also, textured cardstock looks fantastic! I attached the flowers to the cards with multiple glue dots for security.

If you make cute flowers similar to these, please tell me about them and leave a link in the comments. I'd love to see and try them too.
~

Now, on a personal note, my husband and I have decided to sell our home and property, and move closer into town. Into the 'burbs'. We have been rolling the idea around for about a year, and have decided it will be best for our family. We live up on a hill on 20 forested acres, about 40 miles from Spokane, WA. Basically in the boonies, which is how I have referred to it since we moved here in 2003. It is beautiful here, and we have the most fantastic view of the surrounding mountains, including the north side of Mt. Spokane. My husband thought he would love it here for the rest of our lives, but has now realized how hard it is physically, financially, and emotionally to be so isolated. I moved here because I love my husband, and truly have tried to love it too. I accepted that we would live here forever. I have been a stay at home mom for almost 6 years, and it has taken a toll on us financially, and me emotionally. I do not like being alone, I need people. And there are no jobs out here for me. I have been selling my handmade cards on etsy and ebay for about 5 years, but it only enables me to buy new stamping supplies and goodies, and Christmas gifts. All of my family lives inside Spokane, and I have hardly seen them for the last 7 years. I am so happy that I will be able to get back into their lives and be a part of 'family' again. My husband is getting excited about a smaller yard to maintain, and having free time with the family! My kids are SO happy it is unbelievable. My 5 year old only knows this place, but even he wants to live in a neighborhood with other kids to play with. And we all want to ride our bikes on concrete!!
We are meeting with a realtor on Friday, and are getting the ball rolling. We have a huge 'to-do' list of things to paint, clean, clear and burn before we will be ready to go. This means that I will not be *heavy sigh* stamping *gulp* very much, and actually have to pack up my stamping station *sigh* very soon so we can finish painting the interior of the house. {lots of tears and heart palpitations} Just the thought of NOT stamping is freaking me out! I get really crabby when I think about it, or think about boxing up all of my stuff. It really weighs heavy in my heart because I love it so much, and have come to depend on it for my sanity here in the wild. I am going to go through some serious withdrawals!! What's more, is that I have to get a 'real' job once we get settled, and probably will not be able to stamp much or even sell cards on etsy anymore. {Major tears} I will miss it so much! And I will miss everyone here in blogging/stamping land too!
I really hope that once things settle down, and we get into a new life routine, I will be able to have time for my passion. My fingers are crossed! And I will keep you posted!
~
Thanks for putting up with me!
~
Sherrie

I cannot sew!

Yes. It's true. I cannot sew. I am needle challenged.

And what's more interesting, is that I am the daughter of a seamstress and a sewing machine repair man! My mother can sew anything, and in any form of needle craft there is. She can make clothing from patterns, and probably without, knit, crochet, cross stitch, needle point, the list goes on and on. When my parents met long ago, she was working at a coat and clothing manufacturer, while my father was the head machine repair man. She would purposely do things to her sewing machine so that Dad would have to come and fix it! So funny! After they started dating, Dad got a job managing a mattress factory, fixing huge quilting machines that stitch the pillow tops we all know and love.

My mom must have been in needle craft heaven after I was born, because I remember that she would make a lot of my clothes. Boy did I hate it! I was the only girl at that time, between two brothers, and I was a really big tom-boy! I wanted to do everything my brothers did. So when Mom would make me wear handmade dresses or plaid pants with knitted sweaters and saddle shoes, I protested! I'd have rather worn my brother's hand-me-downs! I REALLY hated picture day at school too. She would make me wear rollers in my hair all night. You remember those prickly and stiff ones held in place with bobby pins? You just cannot sleep while they are digging into your scalp!

Looking back, I have to say that those clothes were pretty cute, but you do not realize what a good thing you had until you are old enough to look back! LOL!

I do remember my mother trying to teach me to crochet, just the simple loop around the finger chain. And I made a few very small blankets for my dolls, and some very short scarfs. But I just did not take to it, and I think my mom gave up and let me go play outside!

~

Boy, do I wish I had paid attention now! Sewing on cards is a must, and it looks so pretty. But every time I approach my sewing machine with a piece of gorgeous cardstock, or a stamped and water colored image, I get sweaty palms and heart palpitations!! You'd think I was about to give a speech in front of 1,000 people! It is so scary to me! So I have to take a deep breath, and wipe my hands, and just do it. Slowly. Very carefully. And, I must say that I am getting better at it. One card at a time. Just don't ask me to sew a busted seam, or patch a worn knee. That's my husbands job!

Stamps: Echoes of Kindness, SU

Papers: Razzleberry, Orchid, Whisper White cardstocks; Cottage Wall dsp, SU

Inks: Old Olive, Razzleberry, Orchid

Etc: Razzleberry ribbon, Scallop Trim border and ticket corner punches, buttons, and SEWING!

~

Thanks for putting up with me!

~

Sherrie

What I've been up to.....Any Occasion Note Cards

Hello! Did you miss me? Did you wonder where I am or what I've been up too? I bet you can guess..........yup, STAMPING! Of Course!

When I am M.I.A., it literally means 'in action' for me! I have been in a super inspired place for the last several weeks, and I have stayed far away from the computer so that I could make good use of it. Because in reality, I find that real, surging inspiration is few and far between for me. I love it when I do not need a sketch or color challenge to get my juices flowing! When I can rely on my own imagination and intuition for a design, I roll with it! Besides, I rarely feel inspired by most of the color combos and sketches out there, and my head gets all clogged up looking at other peoples cards and crafts constantly. I like doing my own thing, and occasionally, if something jumps out at me, I do it too. Challenges are fun, and so is winning stuff, so don't get me wrong, I do them too. But there is something to be said about that feeling you get when you pour your self into a project, you can feel it, you can see it, when you know you are on to something, and it turns out just the way you envisioned it before you even got started. That's what I love about cardmaking!

~

Here is something of my very own...........Sure, it looks like half a dozen sketches out there, and it could be a color combo somebody else thought of also, but not this time. It is my own.
I knew what they were going to look like before I even made the first cut. Beautiful.

They are clean and elegant, and wonderfully feminine. I love it when the turn out that way!

~

Thanks for putting up with me!

Sherrie

Hello Monday!

Good Monday morning!

~

I am back at my computer and stamping station today, after a nice relaxing weekend with my family. We goofed around a lot, watched some movies and played games. My husband worked on my Tahoe a bit, {he is a wonderful mechanic!} and I grabbed a few moments to stamp! It was a great weekend!

Can you believe it is the first day of February already??? Time is certainly flying by! We'd better keep our eyes wide open so we don't miss a single moment!

~These sweet little note cards use a sentiment from Verve, and mostly all new items from Stampin' Up!. I love Pretty in Pink and Chocolate Chip. So pretty! The Sending Love brads are so awesome with the felt flowers. A perfect match!

I see that many stamp companies are having new releases and sneek peeks already! Yikes! I have a Love/Hate relationship with this time of month! I love all of the new items and ideas, but hate the fact that I cannot afford it all!! :) Anyone else feel that way? I bet I am not alone!
ClearDollar Stamps has a new release today, with a few stamps I added to my list.
And Papertrey Ink started their 3 Year Anniversary Party today with a scavenger hunt and a chance to win over $200 in products! You know I am in on that!!
Check out Nichole Heady's Blog for that info! It is going to be exciting!
~
Okay, I'd better get moving and take advantage of every minute today! I have lots of new ideas and stamps on my desk, and my son wants to play with PlayDoh too!

Thanks for stopping by!

Sherrie